


The King's Prophecy

by thanku4urlove



Category: Hey! Say! JUMP, Johnny's Entertainment
Genre: (Just a little bit), Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Crossdressing, Dimension Travel, M/M, Originally Posted on LiveJournal, Prophecies, Revolution, Romance, symbolic hair cutting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-29
Updated: 2019-09-29
Packaged: 2020-11-07 13:51:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 46,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20818340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thanku4urlove/pseuds/thanku4urlove
Summary: When Takaki stepped off the train in Tokyo, he thought he was going to get his hair touched up at the salon. Instead he meets a crossdressing vigilante in a life-or-death situation, and that's just the beginning.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written for National Novel Writing Month in 2015! It's just my love of Takanoo and my love of royalty aus coming together in a crazy mess.

Takaki blinked in bewilderment, squinting as he tried to look around. Only a second before he had been stepping off of the train, stumbling clumsily from the car as a stranger shoved him in the crowd, trying not to lose his footing on the platform. Now he was somewhere dusty, hot, and dry, barely having time to recognize a hushed chatter of voices to his left before the sunshine was too much and his body bent forward in a loud sneeze.

Complete silence. Takaki looked to where the sounds had been coming from, somewhere to his left, to see an entire group of people staring at him in confusion. They were crowded around a wooden platform, a plank fixed on it with a rope noose hanging down. There was a large man standing beside the hanging post, and in front of him a man in a dress, his hands bound behind his back. Takaki met the stranger's eyes through the dark hair that had fallen in front of his face and realized with a jolt of horror that he had somehow stumbled in the middle of a hanging.

The stranger's face turned from resigned defeat to desperate hope when Takaki did not look away from him, mouthing at him quickly.

_Help me._

Takaki had no idea where he was, or how he had gotten there, but something in his gut told him he had to do it. He had to save the man in the dress.

It all happened extremely quickly. He had everyone's surprised attention so he did not waste it, running straight through the frozen crowd. He leapt on to the platform, grabbing the young man by the arm and tugging so they could run. Instead, the man tripped to his knees with a shout.

"My ankles are tied, you idiot!" he hissed. The executioner behind them had realized what was happening by then, his bulky frame tromping towards them on dense, muscled legs. Takaki fumbled with the knot around the man's ankles, and thankfully the thickness of the rope caused the knot to loosen easily, the man in the dress kicking his legs free as soon as he could. Takaki ducked as the fist of the executioner narrowly missed his face, the large hand coming around to grab a handful of hair on the head of the man Takaki was supposed to be saving and lifting him up off his feet, making him cry out. Unsure of what to do, Takaki kicked the huge man as hard as he could in the leg, but all those efforts gave him was an annoyed glance. Then the woman's sandal on the man’s foot hit hard between the executioner's legs, which was enough to loosen the giant’s grip and let the young man wriggle free. Then they jumped off the platform and _ran._

"My hands, my hands!"

Takaki got the hint, and soon the man was completely free of all restraints, Takaki unable to do anything but follow him as they wound their way through unfamiliar streets.

The entire place had an old, rustic feeling, everything from the buildings to the clothing being worn looking like it belonged a hundred years in the past instead of present day. It made Takaki wonder for a brief, idiotic second, if he had fallen into some wild kind of historic reenactment.

The man in front of him tucked his hair behind his ears as he glanced behind them, cursing.

"They're following is."

A set of men in suits of armor were behind them, swords drawn. This was completely ridiculous, Takaki decided, feeling much too out of shape to run much farther.

"This way!"

There was suddenly a hand in his and Takaki was being pulled by the stranger, out of a thin alleyway and into a square marketplace. Everyone watched them go by, and while the dress did get a few remarks, the man in it was smiled at and greeted multiple times. Despite being on the run for what Takaki assumed was his life, the man smiled back at all of them, coming to a stop in front of a fruit and vegetable vendor's stand. His out of breath request spilled from his lips in a rush.

"Your oldest tomatoes, please."

"What are you doing?" Takaki hissed, eyes fixed behind them. Their pursuers had turned into the marketplace as well, fighting through the crowd.

"Inoo, you're my favorite customer," The vendor said with a smile, setting a small basket of rotten tomatoes on the counter. Inoo--or Takaki assumed that was his name--pulled a handful of coins out of the front of his bodice and gave them over, picking up one of the red pieces of produce. "You pay for the compost, unlike the pests that eat it."

"You say that as though I'm not a pest." Inoo responded with a wink, winding his arm back and letting the tomato fly. It hit one of the knights square in the face, and as Takaki's mouth hung open he couldn't help but get the feeling that Inoo had done this before.

"Come on!" Inoo dumped a few of the squishy fruits into Takaki's arms. "Throw!"

So Takaki did. His aim wasn't quite as good, but he had managed to land a few satisfying hits before the basket was empty and Inoo was pulling him again into a run, their slick and sticky hands sliding together easily.

There were only three guards left, and after a few more twists and turns down streets, only one remained on their tail. Inoo pulled Takaki into a tight space between two buildings, their bodies pressed close, Takaki feeling Inoo’s rapid heartbeat and stilled breath.

The man ran straight past them, but he was not quite stupid enough for the trick to work, pausing and turning back around. Just as Takaki was sure they were about to be discovered Inoo let out a yell, ripping his hand from Takaki's own and launching himself at the knight. Their bodies collided, Inoo hitting him in the face with his sandal, the force of the impact causing the large flower on the front to fly off as the back of the knight's head slammed into the stone wall behind him and he crumpled.

"Well." Inoo said after a moment of silence, dropping his shoe and sliding his foot back into it as he dusted off his hands. "That's the last of them."

Takaki just stared.

"I understand that we have a lot we need to talk about." Inoo gave a slightly nervous laugh, pointing. "My home is on the other side of town, so we can talk while we walk back, if you want. My name is Inoo Kei." Inoo smiled at him. "And don't worry, I wasn't being hanged for anything big, like murder, or something, it was just... A small case of consented identity fraud."

"Hold on." Takaki had to stop walking as the rush of what they had just done wore off, glancing around himself again. "Where am I, exactly?"

"We're going to be taking all the unnamed back roads, so I can't be too exact, but the area we passed through earlier was Commoner's Square."

"No, no, like a city, or country, or... Continent?"

The look on Inoo's face suggested that the sounds coming out of his mouth were not human.

"You're in the realm currently under the rule of His Majesty, King Chinen Takashi." He spoke slowly, concerned. "Casourne? Laurelton? The High Hills? Any of these names familiar to you?"

_Oh my god, where am I?_

"...no." Takaki finally said. "I... I'm from Japan."

"I've never heard of that place either, so I guess we're on the same page." Inoo was back to smiling again. "I mean, I could tell just by looking at you--and so can everyone else--that you're not from around here. I mean, your clothing is ridiculous, first off--"

Takaki didn't feel like reminding Inoo that he was currently wearing a blue and yellow tomato stained dress.

"--and, well, you just kind of appeared, but that can be explained easily enough."

"It can?" Takaki echoed in disbelief.

"Sure it can, unless you're not a mage." Inoo looked him up and down. "I just assumed that you were. Hey, how is your hair two different colors like that?"

The question made Takaki reach up and touch his hair, running his fingers through it, knowing that some of his natural black hair was showing at the top, growing out. "My roots, I was meant to get them redyed today, I..."

The brief, absurd thought of calling his hairdresser to cancel his appointment cross his mind, and he shook his head. Sure, his phone was in his back pocket, but he sincerely doubted the existence of any cell reception.

"Is this... Are we in one of those societies that doesn't believe in electricity or something?"

"Electricity?" Inoo frowned at him. "Is that some kind of religion, where you're from? I've never heard of that god before."

Takaki didn't know whether to laugh or cry at that statement, and the seriousness with which Inoo said it. There were only three explanations that he had managed to come up with, and he was unsure of them all; either he was dreaming, crazy, or was having his leg pulled so hard that it was about to wrench free of its socket. The painful stitch in his side and Inoo's sincerity were disproving his first and third options, and he was highly hoping against the second. Inoo's proposed explanation, as ridiculous as it seemed to be, made the most sense. Being a mage. Magic.

"What we just did, rescuing you like that... That was a scene straight out of Pirates of the Caribbean." Takaki remarked.

"What's a Caribbean?" Inoo asked him. "Is it like your Japan?"

"Um... no. Sort of. " Takaki shook his head. "So, what were you there for? You said it wasn't murder. Theft?"

"No!" Inoo looked affronted. "Taking advantage of someone else's work like that is condemnable. No, I... It's a bit of a story, but more or less, I was being hanged because my husband found out I was a man."

That had Takaki stopping in his tracks.

"What?"

"He wasn't really my husband. Or, he wasn't supposed to be. I hate his guts."

"You need to start explaining." Takaki told him, beginning to walk again. Inoo sighed.

"Well... I have a sister, and she was signed off by our father to marry this slimy Hayato guy. Since she's in love with a man from Mersault, I told her to grab her lover boy and run as far as possible while I married him in her place. After a good deal of convincing, she did. I knew the plan was doomed from the start; of course I would have to take my clothes off for him at some point. An attempt to consummate the marriage was how he found out, after all." Inoo shivered, his expression one displaying completely unmasked disgust. "I didn't think what I did was punishable by death, though. I thought I was just going to get run out of town, which was fine by me. The ruling seemed a little extreme."

Inoo looked ahead of them, smiling and pointing up ahead.

"Just over that hill is home sweet home."

The grassy span of earth stretched intimidatingly high in front of them, the giant hill not something Takaki was interested in climbing, but he followed Inoo regardless. As they walked he began seeing the peaks of a roof, and the more steps they took the more the building in front of them came into view. By the time they had reached the top, Takaki's mouth was agape.

"It's ironic that a royal rule breaker like me lives so close to the castle, isn't it?" Inoo asked, Takaki simply trying to take the building in. They couldn't have been more than 200 feet from tall, iron cast gates, one occupied suit of armor on each side of the arch, white stone walls rising up behind them. Gold trim shined around the base of each roof, the material crafting the tops tinted pink.

"The roofs of the castle used to be a solid gold, apparently." Inoo said, noticing Takaki looking at them. "When the King's wife died of a sickness--a sickness that actually killed the then-king and his second in command as well--he tore the original roofs down and made them pink in her honor, leaving a bit of the gold behind. I'm glad he did it; putting gold on the roof like that was a disgusting waste of money. Come on."

Takaki wasn't given any more time to gawk at the giant building, Inoo dragging him to the left by the arm. There were rows of much smaller houses constructed all along the wall that the gate was connected to, and they were walking towards one.

"Both Yabu and Daiki should be out right now, they actually have jobs." Inoo told him, stopping in front of the house third from the gate and pulling a key out of the front of the dress. He unlocked the wooden door and walked in, Takaki following.

"Hey, what's your name anyway?" Inoo asked, throwing the key on the table and sitting heavily in one of the chairs around it.

"Takaki Yuya." Takaki told him, closing the door behind himself. Inoo glanced at him, his body finally relaxing.

"Well Takaki Yuya, welcome to my home, and thank you for saving my life."


	2. Chapter 2

Takaki just nodded, unsure of how to respond.

"You can sit down, if you want. I'm going to go change out of this thing, and and then make some food. Want any?"

"Yes please."

"Okay." Inoo smiled, standing and walking down an narrow hallway to a door and turning out of sight. Takaki looked around. The place didn't look too prehistoric, with a sink, tables, cabinets, and chairs. He assumed where he was standing was the kitchen, the stretch of floor just past it looking the be a living area with a chair, a couch, and a rug. The hallway Inoo had gone down had four doors on it, two on each side of the wall, which Takaki guessed were the bedrooms of Inoo, and the two other people that he had said lived there. Yabu and Daiki, whoever they were.

The first thing Takaki did was rinse the tomato juice off of his hands, and once they were dry he pulled his phone from his pocket. As he had suspected, there was no signal, and with no way of charging the device, Takaki suspected that it would grow useless quickly. He powered it off, putting it back into his pocket as Inoo reemerged.

He was in a simple green tunic and brown shorts, the cloth looking rather thin and light, a rope tied around his waist. It also looked like he had brushed his hair, and he pulled a lock behind his ear as he walked to the cabinets, opening one.

"Okay, we have bread and... Bread. And some apples. Why don't we have any food?" He turned to Takaki, asking "What day is it?"

"Thursday."

Inoo just looked at him blankly before shaking his head, Takaki muttering "sorry" as he turned back to his pantry.

"I left three days ago, and last night was... Okay, so Daiki is supposed to be bringing home some food today, that's why." He sighed, turning to Takaki with an eyebrow raised. "We don't have any food. Want an apple?"

"Sure."

Inoo threw him one, grabbing another for himself and sitting down across the table from Takaki, taking a bite.

"Since Yabu will probably be home soon, I'll tell you a bit about him before he gets home." Inoo said around his mouthful, swallowing. "He's a knight, so he works in the castle, which is how I'm able live here. All of these places near the castle are knight housing." He took another bite, Takaki biting into his apple as well. The fruit was surprisingly good, though Takaki suspected he might also just be really hungry. "He'll probably have no problem with you staying here, though no decisions will be made about that until Daiki gets back, which will be after sundown since he's a farmer in the King's fields."

Takaki nodded, mouth full, Inoo misreading his silence.

"You don't have to stay here or anything. It just seemed as though you didn't have anywhere else to go."

"No, you're right, I don't." Takaki said quickly. "Your hospitality is very kind, thank you."

Inoo squinted at him. "You're weird." He finally said. Takaki's mouth fell open in indignance.

"Me?" He asked. "You pulled money out of your dress to buy some rotten tomatoes earlier. While running from people that wanted to kill you."

Inoo burst into laughter, resting his forehead on the heels of his palms.

"Okay." He admitted, looking up and giving Takaki a smile. "It does sound a little weird when you say it like that."

That made it Takaki's turn to raise his eyebrows and take a bite from his apple, but something about the way Inoo was smiling at him made it impossible not to smile back. The housemate Yabu came home two rolls of bread and one short conversation later, one of his arms around a curiass, a helmet in his other hand.

"I don't remember leaving the door unlocked..." he murmured to himself, the confusion on his face deepening for just a moment when he saw that the house wasn't empty. Then his face completely brightened, dropping everything and beaming, pulling a smiling Inoo out of his chair and into a hug.

"You're alive!"

"Tadah!" Inoo said back, simply standing there as his friend looked him over. Yabu himself was extremely tall and thin, dark hair hanging roundly about his face, his eyes completely disappearing when he smiled. He did not at all fit Takaki’s mental image of a knight, and if not for the armor he had come home with, Takaki would not have guessed him to be the man Inoo had told him about earlier.

“How?” Yabu asked, slightly disbelieving. “Weren’t you supposed to be hung today? I mean, I never heard a confirmed date, just rumors. All rumors hold truth to them, though.”

Inoo nodded. “I was. They didn’t even give me the decency of letting me change; I was standing next to the noose in a dress and flowery sandals when I saw this guy.” Inoo gestured to Takaki, who found it appropriate to stand. “His name is Takaki Yuya, and since he’s the reason my neck isn’t broken I figured he could stay here with us.”

“Oh, of course.” Yabu said quickly, turning in Takaki’s direction. “Hello, I’m Yabu Kota.”

“Hi.” Takaki introduced himself again, noticing the way Yabu was looking at him--mostly, at his clothes and his hair. “I’m not from around here.”

“I didn’t think so.” Yabu glanced back at Inoo, asking “So, what happened?”

They all sat back down and Inoo told the whole story from the beginning, referring to Takaki as both ‘handsome stranger’ and ‘this idiot’ on more than one occasion. Takaki though, wasn’t listening as much as he was watching. He hadn’t let himself really _notice_ Inoo yet, taking in the mole at the base of his neck, the full, pouty pink lips, the drooping eyelids, and the thickness of his black hair, nearly as long as Takaki’s own. Inoo was a very pretty person, and it nearly made Takaki laugh out loud to imagine the--now much more plausible--situation that had led to Inoo’s hanging in the first place.

Not too long after Yabu's appearance the sun began to set, the room growing dark. Takaki looked around for a light switch, feeling dumb when instead Yabu and Inoo began lighting candles. There was soon enough light to bathe the place in a warm glow, and in the middle of Inoo telling him that Daiki would be coming home any time now, the door opened.

"Daiki!" Inoo leapt from his seat at the table, Daiki's expression suggesting that he almost didn't realize who was jumping on him before it happened. He had a large sack in his hands, his muscles straining to hold it in only one as he used the other arm to hug Inoo back.

"You're alive! ...how?"

"I don't want to tell the story again." Inoo mumbled into his friend's shoulder. "I probably should though, because there is something we need to talk about."

He pulled out of the hug, gesturing for Daiki to sit in the last available chair at the small round table. Daiki both looked and smelled of earth and sweat, but he smiled at Takaki all the same, introducing himself as Arioka Daiki. Takaki did similarly back, nearly cut off by Inoo quickly saying

"That guy helped save my life today."

The floored expression on Daiki's face made Takaki feel like he was really being given too much credit.

"Only sort of." He told Daiki, shaking his head. "Inoo did most of the running, and the throwing tomatoes, and the... Hitting people with shoes."

"Sounds like Inoo." Daiki remarked, Yabu laughing.

"Yeah, but you're the one that got me away from the noose in the first place." Inoo countered seriously. "And Daiki, he doesn't really have a place to live, and I was thinking, maybe..."

Takaki could tell immediately that Daiki wasn't as keen on having someone else live with them as Yabu had been.

"He doesn't have to stay here forever." Inoo said quickly. "But he can help out with stuff, and he'll sleep in my room, or something, and--"

"I'm just worried about this place being crowded, that's all." Daiki said doubtfully.

"Oh come on, you're small enough, you don't have to worry about space." Yabu said, a grin on his face.

"That's it Yabu, no dinner for you." Daiki declared, standing. "And yes, he can stay. Thank you," he said, now addressing Takaki. "We really couldn't live without Inoo here."

That put an extremely sappy expression on Inoo's face, and he wiped exaggeratedly under his eyes, giving a loud fake sob and throwing himself at Daiki again, the shorter man laughing at him. Conversation moved to how Daiki's day had gone as Inoo and Daiki made dinner, Takaki helping Yabu unload the produce from the bag Daiki had brought home.

"We picked and loaded up about half of the apples, cabbage, and broccoli today." Daiki said. "Nothing too exciting happened."

"Now now, I see that smile on your face." Yabu said. "What is it?"

"Oh Yabu, picking and loading means seeing his precious Yamada soon." Inoo sing songed, dancing away as Daiki splashed water at him.

"He isn't my precious anything." Daiki protested, but he was grinning as he spoke again. "I just... Yeah, I do get to see him soon."

"And you're his precious farmer boy." Inoo cooed. Daiki drew a knife out of a drawer, looking as though he might intend to use it in ways other than to cut vegetables if Inoo didn't stop talking, but Inoo wasn't intimidated in the slightest. "You don't have to worry about the place being too crowded; when you two get married you'll be moving out to live a luxurious life in the castle."

"Sorry, but... Who's Yamada?" Takaki asked. Daiki didn't say anything, and Inoo began to grin.

"He's a chef that works in the castle." Yabu finally told him.

"He's Prince Chinen Yuri's personal chef." Inoo elaborated. "And he always makes sure to buy everything straight from Daiki. Always."

"There's nothing... He doesn't like me, though. He can't. He lives and works in the castle. For the prince. And I'm..."

"And you're his ruggedly handsome, manly, sun kissed farmer." Inoo said exaggeratedly, running his hands down Daiki's biceps and giving him a grin, Daiki turning incredibly pink. "I've seen the way he reacts to you, Daiki; he would be complete putty in your hands."

Daiki turned away from his friend and back to the food he was making, blushing too badly to speak and shaking his head.

"He would." Yabu agreed with a nod.

"Come on!" Inoo exclaimed. "Don't tell me you haven't thought about it."

"Listen. He's wealthy, he's someone special, and I'm not. Cut it out."

He was more embarrassed than angry but his tone of voice lowered the mood significantly, the room falling silent. Inoo frowned and Yabu sighed, Takaki taking the chance to hesitantly speak up.

"Inoo, didn't you say you would tell Daiki what happened? With the escape and everything?"

"Right!" Inoo gave Takaki a relieved expression, launching into the tale enthusiastically. Everyone was laughing by the time he reached the part about the tomatoes. Daiki had seen it coming as soon as he has heard the vendor's name, gasping out "You didn't. Not _again_."

"...again?" Yabu asked weakly. "You do know I'm a knight too, right? If anyone knew I was friends with you, Inoo..."

Inoo just gave him a smile. "You love me. Besides, you know it's for the greater good."

"Your 'greater good' could get me fired."

The meal had finished being made, Yabu and Daiki taking it to the table.

"Oh, don't give me that, considering who you fraternize with. If anyone found out about your secret little relationship they could pin the riots on you, and you would have a hard time defending yourself."

Daiki nodded a little. Takaki simply sat there, confused, but the farmer noticed his expression, quietly telling him to not worry about it. Takaki was then asked to talk a little about himself, but that proved difficult; none of them knew what most of what he talked about was.

"He does worship a god called the Electricity though, I know that." Inoo contributed proudly.

"No I don't." Takaki said quickly. "I... It's not a god, it's this thing, and..." He gestured vaguely. "It's just something people use. It makes life a lot easier."

"What do you give this god in exchange for its services?" Yabu asked. All three of them were extremely curious.

"We don't. We don't worship it, we just use it, and then everything sort of falls apart when it doesn't work."

"It would probably be more willing to work if you gave it offerings." Daiki suggested, and Yabu had another question.

"Only weak leaders blame the gods when things go wrong. Perhaps you could appoint a new king?"

"We don't really have kings, either." Takaki said, deeming electricity impossible to explain.

"See, I told you that you were weird." Inoo said, smiling at him from across the table.

"But do you guys really have a king?" Takaki had to ask. "And a prince, and all of that?"

"You did see the castle earlier today." Inoo pointed out.

"I was with the King just today." Yabu said. "I was asked to border the throne room for a meeting. It was about the rising crime rate, and how to combat it." He threw Inoo a pointed look. "I think the man you married actually came to the king to complain."

"Hey now, don't believe a word he said." Inoo feigned an indignant tone, pouting. "I made an excellent wife."

Daiki clutched at his stomach, laughing, as Inoo continued.

"I actually kissed him during the ceremony, I made him a fantastic dinner... He had no grounds to divorce me, the jerk." Inoo saw the incredulity on Takaki's face and grinned at him, Takaki finding that he did not quite know what to make of Inoo, but really was looking forward to finding out.


	3. Chapter 3

Dinner wrapped up quickly after that, and Takaki thanked them for the food; a genuine home cooked meal was not something he'd had in a while.

"Now, Inoo, it's your turn to wash the dishes, but--" Yabu held his hand up, stopping Inoo's already forming protest "--since you almost died today, I'll do it and you and Takaki can figure out where he'll be sleeping."

Inoo blew Yabu a kiss, gesturing for Takaki to follow him as he stood up. They came to a stop in the hallway, in front of the four doors. Inoo cleared his throat.

"This is my bedroom." He said, placing his right hand on the wood of the door. "The one next to it, there, is the bathroom, and Daiki's room is across the hall. Yabu's room is this one next to Daiki's, and it's always best to knock."

"...why?" Takaki asked, apprehensive.

"You'll find out if you don't knock." Inoo warned, opening his door and stepping in. The room wasn't dirty, per se, but the bed unmade, a few pieces of clothing on the floor. Inoo straightened it up quickly as he walked through, dumping the clothes in a wicker basket behind the head of the bed.

"I think you'll probably be sleeping in here, if that's okay. I would suggest the couch in the living room, but that doesn't give you much privacy."

"No, here is fine."

"Of course it is, it's my room." Inoo sat down on the bed, expression turning serious. "You do not get my bed all to yourself, though. Either we share it, or you're sleeping on the floor."

"That's not a very nice way to treat your rescuer." Takaki said, crossing his arms. He was joking, of course--he didn't want to take Inoo's bed from him, intending to sleep on the floor from the beginning--but Inoo seemed to feel so strongly about it that he couldn't resist teasing him at least a little.

"You'd have to do something much more impressive than save my life to get me to give up my bed."

That made Takaki laugh, Inoo giving him a critical once-over.

"We're going to have to get you some normal clothes, and I'm not sure what we can do about your hair except for cutting it o--"

"No." Takaki didn't let Inoo say "off". "The hair stays."

Inoo didn't comment, simply giving him an amused glance.

"Alright. For now, you can wear a few of my things. We're close enough to the same height."

Takaki ended up in some of Inoo's sleep clothes, the fabric surprisingly thin and soft. They laid out blankets and cushions on the floor, Inoo muttering to himself the whole time about other things they would need. Once the lights were out and the room was silent, Takaki left laying in the dark, in a state of disbelief. This couldn't be real life, there was no way--but at the same time, it was the reality he was being dealt. With no way to make a change, it was something he simply had to go along with. He had done pretty well of that so far.

_Maybe I could contact a magician_, he mused, unable not to laugh at how honestly ridiculous the notion seemed.

Takaki woke to someone shaking him and he sat up fast, panicked. All he could think was that somehow, someone had gotten into his apartment. A few seconds of looking around him scared him a little more, the surroundings completely unfamiliar. Then he saw the familiar face of Inoo Kei, looking at him strangely, and he began to calm down.

"...are you okay?" Inoo asked.

"I..." There was thin, pale light coming in through the window, his back aching slightly. He was on the floor, in Inoo's bedroom. "Yeah."

"It's morning, and I figured you would probably want breakfast."

"Breakfast..." Takaki tried harder to wake up. "What time is it?"

Inoo shrugged. "Dawn, roughly." He said, as though that was an acceptable answer. Takaki suppressed a groan, getting to his feet.

"You can go back to sleep." Inoo told him, but Takaki shook his head. He was awake now. They walked into the kitchen together, a stranger bounding up to Inoo as soon as they walked in.

"Inoo! I heard you got away!"

"Yes, I'm alive, it's a miracle." Inoo's slight sarcastic tone was softened by the smile on his face, the newcomer pulling Inoo into a hug. He was extremely thin and tall and, in Takaki's opinion, much too energetic for how ridiculously early in the morning it was bound to be.

"Yuto and I were planning on heading to work together this morning." Daiki said from in front of the stove. "Yuto's giving a royal announcement today in the square, so he's meeting with the King for what exactly he's supposed to say. He was asked to poke into your case a little, so I told him to stop in and ask you himself."

"I'm getting His Highness's royal attention, huh?" Inoo sounded amused, but Takaki was worried. Wasn't attention from someone in so much power--especially if it was for something negative--a bad thing?

"Well, Yuto," Inoo turned to face the newcomer, putting an arm around Takaki's shoulders. "I want you to let the King know that me and my rescuer here ran across the Western border, are probably on ships by now, and not worth any of his time or energy."

"Your rescuer?" Yuto asked, gaze flicking to Takaki. "Him?"

"Me." Takaki said with a nod. If that was going to be his title, he was fine with it. "I'm Takaki Yuya."

"I'm Nakajima Yuto!" Yuto supplied, beaming at him. "I'm a friend of Inoo, and Daiki, and Yabu, wherever he is."

"Sleeping." Daiki supplied. "He should be up soon."

"I’m supposed to only be the King's messenger--which is much more dangerous than it sounds--but since our King is so paranoid I'm also supposed to report public opinion and important matters back to him. Anything you think I should tell him about what happened?"

Takaki shook his head, figuring that the less this King knew about him the better, and Inoo gave Yuto a little smile.

"He likes to think of himself as some double agent or something." He told Takaki. Yuto adopted an indignant expression.

"I am!" He insisted. Then he turned to Takaki. "What do you do?"

"I... Well, I just got here yesterday." Takaki answered, unsure of what to say. All he'd done so far is stop an execution, meet people, and feel confused. "I'm from out of town."

"I'm here." Yabu stumbled into the kitchen, definitely more than half asleep. "I'm here, I'm up, I'm awake. I'm..."

"You're going to be late." Daiki laughed, sliding a bowl of something that looked like oatmeal over to the knight, Inoo walking over behind his chair and trying to smooth the flyaway strands of hair with his fingers. "What happened?"

"I was just up late talking to Hikaru." Yabu said. Daiki raised an eyebrow.

"That's where my big bowl went. Make sure you wash that and put it back."

"All I did was put water in it." Yabu protested, though his tone of voice already indicated his consent to Daiki's request.

"Yeah, sure, but now it's tainted by you two's disgustingly cheesy love." Inoo said, causing Daiki to pull a face.

"Don't say it like that." He told Inoo, Yuto bursting into laughter. All Takaki had was questions, but he didn't want to ask them in front of everyone for fear of getting laughed at, or regarded strangely. He waited until everyone had headed to the castle and it was only he and Inoo left, sitting at the table with a bowl each of Daiki's breakfast, which did turn out being oatmeal after all.

"Who's Hikaru?"

Inoo looked surprised that he was asking.

"He's Yabu's lover boy. He works in the castle, next to the King, so they don't get much private time together. He stops by sometimes though. He's funny; I like him fine. They've been together since... Definitely since before I met Yabu, probably longer. Yabu became a knight just so he could be stationed inside the castle, I think."

Takaki nodded. He'd suspected something along those lines--not all the details, of course--but the main thing he was wondering hadn't been touched on.

"How did the talk with just a bowl of water?"

"Oh, right. Hikaru's a high-level magician, and there’s some kind of spell where they can see each other in the water, or something." Inoo waved a hand, as though what he was saying almost was boring him. "Do you really not have stuff like that where you come from?"

"I..." Takaki didn't know if he wanted to try explaining video chatting, or Skype. "We do. We don't use water though."

Inoo simply nodded, Takaki moving to the next thing he was wondering about.

"About that thing Yuto said; why is the King paranoid?"

"It's a bit of a story." Inoo said, setting his spoon down. "This all happened when I was a few years old, but I work with a bunch of old people, so I've heard the story a few times. The King at the time--a different man--traveled across the sea to meet with a leader of another that had requested his audience, and ended up catching a deadly illness. The King's Hand also fell ill, dying quickly after--"

"The King's hand?" Takaki asked, confused.

"His second in command. The one in line for his throne." Inoo explained quickly. "Anyway, the Hand willed the throne to our current King, Chinen Takashi. That was a strange move, because while Chinen Takashi had been on the Counsel, the two hadn't been friends." Inoo shrugged. "None of the King’s Hand’s friends were highborn, or in power, so I guess it was anybody’s game."

Takaki didn't really see how any of this would make the King paranoid, but then Inoo continued.

"The thing that made it truly questionable was that the will was written by Chinen Takashi himself--upon the Hand's command, apparently--and despite it being ratified by the High Priest, there are still whispers that he's not out true King."

"People think he wrote the will for himself?" Takaki asked. Inoo nodded.

"I mean, there was no say as to who would take over the Kingdom anyway, since the the Hand didn't have an heir."

"Do you think he's the true King?"

"Honestly? I don't care." Inoo said. "Nobody really does. They're just blaming him, because ever since he came into the power, the crops have slowly been dying. But His Majesty isn't doing anything to help the people, so I wouldn't mind if he was thrown out." He held out his hand for Takaki's empty bowl, Takaki handing it over. "The situation isn't dire yet, but if he isn't going to keep us from starving, then it's time to get a king that will."

Takaki nodded solemnly as Inoo put the bowls in the sink, turning back to him with an incredibly bright smile.

"Anyway, I don't have work today since I'm supposed to be dead, so... Do you want to go out or something?"

The phrasing of the question was amusing, Takaki smiling as he nodded.

"Sure."

"We can buy you some clothes, and stuff. Pillows and blankets to make the floor more comfortable."

Going out into town revealed just how popular throughout the town Inoo actually was. His earlier interaction with the produce vendor had given Takaki a bit of a clue, but really it was just the tip of the iceberg. He was greeted by nearly everyone, being called his full name, his first name, and even a few strange nicknames that Takaki wouldn't have guessed belonged to Inoo if his companion hadn't responded to them.

They bought an entire wardrobe of clothes, Takaki being introduced to an incredible amount of people as they went. Most everyone was kind though, coming away from their adventure with not only the clothing, but a good amount of free food as well. They stopped by the castle gates on their way back home, Takaki surprised as the knight on the left waved at them.

"We brought you a snack!" Inoo called as they approached, and the removal of the Knight’s metal helmet revealed Yabu, the man understandably sweaty underneath.

"You're the best." Yabu responded gratefully as Inoo handed him a few apples. "Give one or two of those to Hashimoto, would you?"

He pointed to the guard on the right end of the gate, Takaki complying. The suit of armor did not move as Takaki approached, causing him to ask awkwardly when he came to a stop "...do you want an apple?"

The knight removed his helmet then, his hair falling gloriously around his face as he beamed Takaki in the face with a gracious smile.

"Thank you so much."

Takaki blinked, smiling a little as he handed the fruit over, walking back to Inoo and Yabu as quickly as he could.

"He got you!" Inoo exclaimed with a laugh, noticing Takaki's expression. Yabu patted him on the shoulder sympathetically.

"Don't worry, it happens to the best of us."

"What?" Takaki asked, feeling both confused and defensive.

"Hashimoto Ryosuke. He's a complete charmer." Inoo explained. "He has this huge, white horse that he rides around the streets and in tourneys, and no matter he is there are always flowers _somewhere_."

Inoo gestured and sure enough, Hashimoto's post was in the middle of a batch of daisies. Inoo was describing such a stereotypical, fairy tale knight that Takaki almost laughed.

"The best part is, he doesn't even know he's doing it. He's too sincere." Yabu finished. Hashimoto must have noticed them looking at him, giving them a bright smile and a wave. He was cute, Takaki had to admit.

Takaki spent his next few days trying to figure his new surroundings out. Some things he worked through his own, usually the hard way, and others he had to get help about from his new housemates. It was embarrassing to ask so he usually left it as a last resort, despite how understanding they were. Inoo helped him get hot water for his first bath, then stared at him, grinning and waiting, until Takaki shouted and kicked him out of the bathroom.

"Are you going somewhere?" Takaki asked. It was midday, just after lunch, and Inoo was putting on a pair of shoes. "Did you get a job?"

"Yes, and no." Inoo answered. "My lovely ex-husband still has a good amount of my stuff in his house, and I want it back."

"You're going to his house?" Takaki asked, slightly incredulous. "Are you... Is that a good idea?"

"He isn't home." Inoo said. "...hopefully. Besides, you'll just save me again, right?"

Before Takaki could protest further Inoo smiled at him, slipping out the door. Shaking his head, Takaki brought his lunch plate to the sink, washing the lunch and breakfast dishes and wondering what would be the best way to get the news that Inoo was in trouble again, if the other man truly did end up needing his help.

He was feeling quite alone and unsure of what to do, thinking he should eventually get some kind of a job, when the door opened. A complete stranger strode in, Yabu right behind him.

"Is that him?" The newcomer asked, pointing straight at Takaki's face. He had on a heavy cloak, the fabric cream colored at the neck and shoulders and darkening gradually into a deep purple around his ankles. Gold thread stitched astral patterns into the fabric, and when Yabu answered his question affirmatively, Takaki shot him a desperately questioning look. It was doubtless that this man was from the castle; had Yabu turned him in?

"I'm sorry, but... What's going on?" Takaki asked hesitantly. The man was looking him over, nodding to himself.

"Please sit." He told Takaki, who did, pulling out a chair at the other end of the table from the two of them. The man sat across from him, Yabu taking the chair between them. "We need to talk."

"About what?"

"You are not from here, correct?"

Takaki nodded, and the man took a breath before speaking.

"My name is Yaotome Hikaru, and I'm the man who summoned you."


	4. Chapter 4

The name 'Hikaru' was familiar, and when Takaki realized why he pointed quickly between the two in front of him a few times.

"Inoo must have told you about him." Yabu said with a sigh. Takaki nodded, and Hikaru raised his eyebrows.

"He did? What did he say?"

"Oh, um..." Takaki couldn't remember the exact phrasing. "That you were funny, that you were a magician, and that you worked for the king."

A magician. Hadn't Hikaru said he had summoned him? Why? How? Takaki didn't quite believe in magic, but he had ended up here one way or another, and if Hikaru had brought him then maybe Hikaru could put him back.

The magician in question had a contemplative frown on his face. "Funny?" He asked. "Funny as in good at jokes, or funny as in funny looking?"

"Probably the first one." Takaki answered, just as Yabu said "This isn't important right now."

"You're both right." Hikaru said. "Anyway, as I said when I walked in, I cast a spell to speed the completion of a prophecy, and the spell brought us you."

"Wait... Spell? Prophecy?" Takaki had the sudden feeling that his life was turning into a fantasy novel for young adults. "Are you serious? Why me?"

"I don't know why, and that's the reason I'm here." Hikaru said. "At the moment of your arrival, were you given any instruction?"

All Takaki could remember the second he had got there was sneezing, and somehow he felt that it wasn't important.

"No." He answered. "It was just bright, and hot, and then I saw Inoo."

Hikaru nodded quietly, Takaki asking

"What is the prophecy?"

Hikaru and Yabu shared a look, and Yabu nodded. Hikaru took a breath.

"This prophecy cannot be public knowledge. I won't swear you to secrecy because I want to trust you, but in turn you can only tell people you trust, if any at all."

Takaki nodded, able to tell by both of the faces in front of him that this was serious. When Hikaru opened his mouth to speak, Takaki held up his hand.

"Wait. Can I write this down?"

"You know how to write?" Yabu asked in surprise. Hikaru looked doubtful.

"I don't know, if you lose it..."

"Barely any common people can read." Yabu pointed out. "I can only read a little, and that's only because of you. Daiki can't, and Inoo can because he was taught by the people that raised him."

"Okay." Hikaru finally allotted. Yabu disappeared into Inoo's room, reappearing a moment later with paper and ink. Once Takaki was ready, Hikaru began speaking.

"Failure to execute the maiden of deceit will drag the false ruler from his throne, the true king being illuminated by the bringer of light. The prince, forced from his position of power, will be the killer of his father. When the lamb falls for the lion, rest assured that peace has been achieved."

Takaki stared at the words now in front of him--the words Hikaru had said--feeling dumbfounded.

"This is supposed to mean something to me?" He asked. "I'm somehow a part of this?"

"You don't know the meaning behind these words?" Hikaru asked, sounding just as helpless as Takaki felt. When Takaki shook his head, the magician rested his chin heavily on his hand, closing his eyes. He looked rather defeated, Yabu reaching out to rub his back.

"Is there any chance you could send me back home?" Takaki asked. "I'm obviously not the person you need for this, and you, apparently, were the one that brought me--not that I believe that magic is real, but--"

Hikaru was on his feet in an instant, Takaki's head feeling tilted back and held by some strong force he could not see, directing his gaze to Hikaru's face. Palm to the ceiling and fingers curled, a flame burst from Hikaru's upturned hand for an instant before he closed his hand in a fist, smoke wisping away.

"Magic is real." Hikaru declared, voice clear. "It is what governs this realm, and holds this land together. Though..."

Takaki felt his head being released and it tipped backwards before he regained control of it, suddenly heavy. "If our false king isn't dethroned soon, it may disappear."

"What?" Both Takaki and Yabu asked. This being news to Yabu as well surprised Takaki, and Hikaru looked reluctant to continue.

"There is a negative force being slowly, steadily released into the world because things are not right, and if it gets to a certain quantity then everyone who is magically inclined, whether they are aware of it or not, will die. Magic is being weaned out."

Yabu simply say there in silent shock, but Hikaru's words had brought something to Takaki's attention, something Inoo had said about the king.

"This negative force... Could that be why the crops are dying?"

Hikaru nodded. "This realm needs to be fixed, which is why I need your help. Unfortunately, the amount of power it took to bring you here cannot be duplicated, not with things as they are, You must be the person we need. I can't put you back, and I can't bring anyone else."

The finality in his voice was confirmed when Yabu stood, taking Hikaru by the arm and dragging him out the door with a serious "can we talk?" Takaki was left sitting in the kitchen, staring at the prophecy, remembering the invisible grip on his head and the fire in Hikaru's hand. It all seemed so impossible.

"Is magic real?"

"Wait, seriously?" Inoo asked. It was after dinner, and Inoo had pulled off the raid on his ex-husband's home successfully, heading to the fields afterwards and spending time bothering Daiki. The two came home together, each with a bag of Inoo's stuff. Yabu still hadn't returned.

"It is." Daiki answered, complete certainty in his voice. Inoo nodded.

"Of course it is. Why do you ask?"

"I met Hikaru today."

"Wait. You met a mage..." Inoo spoke slowly "...and it's making you question whether or not magic is real?" He frowned. "Did he tell too many bad jokes?"

"No. He was really serious, actually."

That made both of them fall silent, and Takaki regretted saying it; he didn't know if he wanted to share the prophecy with the two of them, and that statement might make them ask questions. Thankfully though it didn't, the topic being changed as Daiki spoke up.

"Takaki, could you help me being produce into the castle tomorrow?"

"You're replacing me?" Inoo whined, before Takaki could answer. Daiki nodded.

"Yes, I am. You're supposed to be dead, so it's just a precaution for a little while. Besides..." Daiki sized them both up for a moment. "Takaki looks like he can carry more crates than lettuce than you, honestly."

"Sure, I'll come." Takaki said, Inoo pouting dramatically next to him. He was happy to help Daiki, and it would be interesting to finally see the inside of the castle, such a big and fantastical building.

When night fell, with Takaki and Inoo alone in their room, Takaki couldn't keep the prophecy to himself any longer, speaking up as Inoo reached over to put the candle out.

"Can I tell you something?"

Inoo retracted his arm slowly, looking at Takaki seriously. "Sure. What?"

"It's about Hikaru, and..."

Inoo's expression turned shrewd. "Did he and Yabu do something weird? I told you to always knock; it isn't my fault if you didn't."

"No, no." Takaki said quickly. "He told me that he's the one that summoned me. He gave me a prophecy."

"A prophecy?"

Takaki nodded, throwing the cloth he had written on up to Inoo, who caught it. "He summoned someone that would help make this... Thing happen faster, and apparently it was me. You can't tell anyone though."

"Of course I can't tell anyone." Inoo said, lowering the cloth to look Takaki in the eye. "There are only two things King Chinen sees as punishable by death--murder and treason. This is blatant treason, Takaki. You can't get involved in this."

"But I am involved." Takaki protested. "Besides, Hikaru said that having a false king is putting some kind of negative energy into your world, and if it gets too strong, anyone that's..." How had Hikaru put it? Magically inclined? "Anyone that can do any magic at all will die, whether they know about their magical abilities or not."

"Oh." The word was a murmur, Inoo looking back as the prophecy, reading over it again. "We have to do this, then. The people Yabu and Daiki love will die if we don't."

"Wait..." It took Takaki a moment to remember his name. "Yamada is a mage?"

"Well, not technically. But I think there’s something about him. He has to be really good with herbs and spices if he became the Prince's personal chef so fast."

_Potions._ Takaki realized. _Alchemy_. He didn't know why he was surprised. Inoo's voice was going drowsy, tossing the prophecy back to him and putting the candle out.

"We can worry about that later. But tomorrow, pay attention to Daiki and Yamada. See if you know what I'm talking about with their relationship. See if you can convince Daiki to go for it."

"Okay." Takaki said, and then Inoo was asleep.

Daiki woke them both up early the next morning. Takaki pulled himself into a sitting position when he remembered he had a job to do, Inoo just mumbling "Good morning," at them and rolling over. Takaki barely registered what he ate for breakfast, only really alerting to his surroundings when, upon exiting the house, they went in the opposite direction of the gate.

"Aren't we going in the castle?" He asked. Daiki nodded.

"Yeah, but we have to stop by the fields first. We shouldn't enter the front door anyway; we're going in through the kitchens."

That did make sense, Takaki following wordlessly down a slight hill. He had to pause when they got to the bottom; dawn was breaking over the largest field he had ever seen. People were already there, milling around, and the closer he got the more he noticed that, sure enough, the crops did seem thinner than they should be. It was surprisingly quiet for the amount of people there, Takaki not asking any more questions, sticking close behind Daiki and accepting whatever the shorter man put in his hands. The sun had risen quite a bit by the time the farmer decided they had the right amounts of all the right things, saying they could enter the castle now.

"We're going in through the side, through the kitchens." He repeated. "We're delivering these straight to Yamada, so he's probably not there, but it's always good to check."

"Why wouldn't he be in the kitchens?" Takaki asked. Yamada was a cook, wasn't he?

"He had his own cooking station set up near Prince Chinen's bedroom, in case His Grace wants anything quickly, or at night." Daiki explained. "Carrying things up and down the stairs would cause the food to turn cold."

"Oh."

The kitchens were full of people, yet somehow Daiki only had to look around for a moment before saying

"He's not here. Let's go."

They stepped out of the kitchens, going down a thin hallway and entering the largest dining hall Takaki had ever seen. There was a thick, dark wooden table in the center, surrounded by dozens of chairs, all of them with simple decorative carvings up and down the sides. There were wide, high windows, the room flooded with light, and Takaki let his month hang open a little.

They left that room into a large area, the ceiling incredibly high, a thick staircase going up two floors before disappearing. To their left was a tall open door, Takaki's eyes widening as he saw a man sitting in a huge, golden-trimmed chair, wrapped in lavish blue clothing.

"The king?" He asked Daiki, voice low. Daiki nodded.

"That's His Majesty, Chinen Takashi." He answered. "Hikaru's in there too, and the man standing by the throne is the King's serving boy, Keito. I feel bad for him."

"Why?" Takaki asked, looking through the throne room again. Hikaru was there, standing still, wearing a dark cloak with the hood up. He caught sight of the man Daiki called Keito, and while he looked strong physically, there was a contrasting timidness on his face.

"He's always with the King, and while I haven't seen it firsthand, Yuto says that His Royal Highness has a bit of a temper."

Takaki nodded, eyes catching on something in the middle of the room, sitting on a pedestal.

"Why is the crown there, on that stand?" Takaki asked. “Shouldn’t the King be wearing it?” The crown was golden and glinting, embedded with various jewels.

"His Majesty says it can't be worn. He claims it to be cursed with dark magic."

"He can't even pick it up?" Takaki asked, surprised. Daiki nodded.

"The crown was placed there when the then-King fell ill, and was moved to his chambers to be healed. But he never recovered, and it hasn't been picked up since." Daiki shrugged. "I don't believe no one can wear it though. I believe the right person can."

"You don't believe he's the True King?"

"Don't say that here." Daiki said quietly, shooting him a desperate look, and Takaki remembered in a small, terrifying instant what Inoo had said about treason.

"Sorry."

They began climbing a large, curving staircase, and while Takaki felt his arms beginning to ache, Daiki was getting a small spring in his step and a smile on his face. They got off the stairs on the second floor, Daiki walking down the hallway and coming to a stop in front of the door. He took a breath, fixed his bangs, then knocked.

"He's here!" Chimed a voice from behind the door, and a few moments later it was pulled open. The man standing there was Daiki's own height, and was beaming at the farmboy with so much affection that Takaki could barely believe it.

"You're here."

"I am." Daiki answered. He was smiling back, and all Takaki could think was that if this was Yamada, then Inoo was completely right. "I have the food for you. I brought a few new things, do you want me to show you?"

"Of course." Yamada stepped back to open the door wider, the two of them walking in. Takaki's arms were too full to close the door behind them, but that was taken care of as a tall young man came up wordlessly and closed it instead.

"Thank you." Takaki told him, getting a nod in response.

"Arioka!" There was another young man in the couch, sitting up and smiling. Daiki bowed back as deeply as possible, the action clumsy by how laden with crates and bags he was.

"Hello Prince Chinen."

Takaki bowed as soon as he heard the title, hoping his belatedness hadn't been impolite. The prince had short black hair that fell naturally to frame his face, smiling brightly and short in stature. He looked incredibly young, but Inoo had told him once that the prince was only a few years younger than Daiki was.

"Who's this?" Chinen asked, pointing to Takaki. "You didn't bring Inoo this time."

"This is Takaki Yuya." Daiki said, Takaki bowing again. "He's a new friend of ours."

"Hello, Takaki."

_The Prince is talking to me._ Takaki couldn't believe it, muttering out a hello. There was a small side room Yamada led Daiki to, Takaki following, but once he had put his crates down he felt useless and in the way, watching Daiki and Yamada chattering happily to each other as they moved produce around.

"Could you come here?" Chinen spoke up. The three of them paused, Takaki swallowing when he realized that Chinen was looking at him. He complied, approaching the couch, Daiki and Yamada getting back to work. Chinen looked over him, finally saying

"Your hair is interesting."

Takaki couldn't help but smile a little at that. His hair was growing, the black roots embarrassingly visible by now. The two-toned look was not a good one, he knew, thankful that there were no available mirrors.

"Are you new to the area?"

"Yes." Takaki answered. "This is my first time being in the castle. It's very beautiful."

Chinen smiled. "I should introduce myself then. I am Chinen Yuri, that is my cook Yamada Ryosuke, and this is my personal guard, Morimoto Ryutaro."

Morimoto Ryutaro was the one who had closed the door for Takaki earlier, and he was now standing next to the couch with a dagger on his belt and a protective look in his eye. Takaki bowed to him in greeting, getting the slightest of nods in response.

"I've heard about Yamada." Takaki told Chinen, who glanced over at the chef and farmer.

"I'm sure you have."

"More from Inoo, really, than Daiki though. But that's just because Daiki is being a little..." He paused, searching for the right word. "Dense."

That made Chinen laugh, nodding, and Takaki knew they were on the same page about the situation.

"Maybe one day. If I can convince Ryosuke to actually do something."

"Okay, we're done!" Daiki declared, brushing his hands together. That was the end of his conversation with the Prince, Takaki knew, rejoining Daiki's side.

"As always, thank you." Chinen said, standing up. He was so small that Takaki wanted to coo over him, hoping he'd kept his expression neutral.

"And thank you as well." Daiki said, bowing, Takaki following suit. Yamada walked them to the door, the expression behind his smile something Takaki knew Daiki did not understand, because if he did he would be kissing Yamada by now.

"Wait, Arioka!" Chinen called out before the door closed.

"Yes, Your Grace?"

"Bring Takaki with you again next time you come." Chinen said. "I like him."

"As it pleases Your Grace." Daiki answered, nodding, and they were back down the steps.


	5. Chapter 5

"The Prince likes you!" Daiki exclaimed. He was in an extremely good mood, and Takaki was sure it was less because of the Prince and more because of his chef. "What did you two talk about?"

"Not much, really." Takaki answered. He had no idea what he had done to make the Prince request his presence, but he guessed it was a good thing. "Daiki, you need to know--everything Inoo has told you about Yamada's feelings is true."

Daiki raised his eyebrows; he'd obviously heard that before. "Don't be ridiculous. Besides, it can't be everything. Inoo has told me some... Things."

"Of course he has." Takaki sighed. They were passing the throne room again, but this time the large door was closed, and Takaki could hear the raised voices of Hikaru and someone else that Takaki assumed was the King. The words were too muffled to make out, and Daiki wasn't paying it much mind, walking past without slowing down.

"Does he yell often?" Takaki asked. Daiki shrugged.

"I don't know, but it's not my business. I don't really want it to be my business, either."

That was understandable, the two of them making good time back home. Only Inoo was there, giving them both expectant looks.

"No, I didn't kiss Yamada." Daiki told him with a sigh. Inoo frowned.

"You should have. Right, Takaki? You saw it today, with your own eyes."

"Yamada was definitely thirsty." Takaki agreed. All he got back was confusion from both of them.

"I wanted you to watch for their interactions, not the hydration status of the Prince's cook." Inoo deadpanned. Takaki reminded himself to stop making slang references.

"No, it means... Never mind. Daiki, you should have kissed him. He wanted you to."

"Are we not going to talk about what the Prince said? When we were leaving?" Daiki asked, blatantly ignoring his statement.

"What?" Inoo asked excitedly, looking quickly between Takaki and Daiki. "What did he say?"

Takaki shrugged. “He asked for me to come with Daiki again. I don’t know why.”

“There must be something about you he likes.” Inoo said. He wasn’t as ecstatic as Daiki had been. “I’m not sure if that’s good or bad, actually. Did anything happen between the two of you?”

“Chinen called him over to talk while Yamada and I unpacked the food.” Daiki supplied. He was grinning again. “They talked about something for a little while.”

“We talked about you.” Takaki said, Daiki blanching.

“W-what?”

“You and Yamada.”

“Me and...? Oh.” Embarrassment the only thing on Daiki’s face now, covering it with his hands.

“But yeah, that was it. I tried to talk to him politely, but I’m not sure I succeeded.”

“Well, you didn’t offend him.” Inoo said thoughtfully. “You probably should learn though; if you get involved with the Prince, you run the risk of meeting his father, and courtesy is life or death in that throne room.”

They spent the remainder of the day trying to teach Takaki what to do and how to act, Inoo posing as the King while Daiki gave him pointers. By the time Yabu got home, one scenario had gone so far that Inoo was dramatically wielding a spoon to behead Takaki with.

“I’m not asking.” Yabu said, sitting down heavily on the couch. He looked exhausted, both emotionally and physically drained.

“What’s wrong?” Daiki asked as Inoo put the spoon back away.

“You know those street riots we’ve been having? Word of one got back to the King today. The cause of them has been discovered.”

“Wow, really?”

“Um... Could someone explain?” Takaki asked. Yabu took up the request.

“For the past few weeks, riots have been breaking out. They’re always pretty small, but they’re extremely loud and disrespectful, and the King’s Guard always has to be deployed to the situation. One of two people usually die by their swords as well, though that might just be the King’s Guard being malicious. I’ve never seen it myself, so I can’t say, but...”

Takaki winced a little.

“Anyway, one happened yesterday, in the morning. As it turns out, people were outraged by a decision the king was thinking about making in regards to the distribution of the food supply. The problem with that though is that none of the information had been made public yet. The only people that had been in that discussion were two Chiefs of Produce, The King, his serving boy, and Hikaru, as well as a few select members of the King’s Guard.”

“There’s a tattle-tale.” Inoo remarked, surprised. Yabu nodded.

“The King is getting paranoid. I had to oversee three questioning sessions today of the Guards that had been present.”

“What kind of questioning?” Daiki asked, voice hesitant.

“It wasn’t torture, if that’s what you mean. Hikaru gave them all truth serum. There was a lot of yelling, though.” Yabu let his head rest on the back of the couch, closing his eyes with a sigh. Inoo sat down next to his friend, expression sympathetic, and Daiki hurried to the kitchen to begin dinner. Takaki helped Daiki out the best that he could, and after getting some food in his system, Yabu seemed to perk up a bit.

“Thanks.” He said once the meal was over, voice sincere. “I just... I have to go back in there tomorrow.”

“Hey, at least Hikaru will be there though, right?” Inoo asked, rubbing his arm. “Invite him over. When you guys get back tomorrow we can have a party.”

Yabu didn’t look too keen on the party idea but he nodded anyway, smiling. He was in bed soon after that, Daiki following suit, leaving Inoo to do the dishes.

“Did you tell Daiki about the prophecy?” Takaki asked. Inoo raised his eyebrows.

“You don’t trust me?”

“I do!” Takaki said quickly. “It’s just that… When we were walking past the throne room earlier, I looked in and saw the crown, and Daiki said he didn’t think the King was the True King, and that sounds a lot like what the prophecy says.”

“It also sounds like public opinion.” Inoo said, drying his hands and sitting down with Takaki at the empty kitchen table. “That guy has kept our land fortified, sure, but people still don’t like him much.”

“Why?”

“The letters that cause the riots have been showing his true colors.” Inoo said. “He’s as worried about the impending famine as the rest of his subjects are, except he’s not worrying about us, too. He’s just worried about himself. He's worried about things like the Prince’s birthday feast. I didn’t think the letters were true at first, until Yabu came home talking about them. I, personally, think I know who it is.”

“You do?”

Inoo grinned as he nodded. “I think it’s Keito.”

“Keito?” Takaki echoed. “Wait… The serving boy?”

“It makes sense to me.” Inoo said. “Think about it; he’s always with the King—he’s been by the King’s side his whole life, so he has enough trust not to be questioned, and if he has a good head on his shoulders then he would try to do right by the people, wouldn’t he?"

“If he had a good head on his shoulders, wouldn’t he stay quiet?” Takaki countered. “Their letters have to be punishable by death, or something nearly as bad. If he’s living in the castle, he’s going to have food even if other people don’t. Besides,” Something about it just didn’t seem right. “I don’t think… He looked too shy to do something like that.”

“Well, I think it’s him.” Inoo insisted stubbornly. “He’s mysterious, what with his unknown past and everything.”

“Unknown past? How do you know so much about the King’s serving boy anyway?”

“Yuto doesn’t look it, but he actually loves to gossip. And he knows a lot about Keito, for some reason. Keito was being raised by one of the cooks in the King’s kitchen—being raised to be a butler, probably—when one day the King happened upon him and requested his service. You can’t decline royalty, and so ownership was officially passed. He wasn’t even the cook’s child to begin with. He’s an orphan. He doesn’t have a family name; he’s just Keito.”

Takaki nodded thoughtfully, feeling strange to suddenly have all this information that he wasn’t sure what to do with. Inoo sighed, standing.

“I just hope he doesn’t get caught. Poor kid. Help me finish these dishes, would you?”

“Sure.” Takaki stood, and between them everything was quickly washed and dried, Inoo looking more tired than Takaki felt he should, considering he was the one that had gotten up early that morning. He couldn’t turn his brain off though, once the room had fallen completely dark and he was on his back on the floor, blankets pulled to his chin. He had walked through the castle, seen the king and spoken to the prince. It was a surreal reality to be sure, but the experience had definitely made it feel more like a reality than it had before. He found himself thinking about the prophecy, and about the king’s downfall.

_“The prince, forced from his position of power, will be the killer of his father.”_

That part was particularly unsettling, and after meeting Prince Chinen, Takaki disliked it even more. Inoo had mentioned that murder and treason were the only things here punishable by death, and what Chinen was going to do—going to do relatively soon, according to Hikaru—was both of those things. Takaki had a crucial hand in making it happen, and knowing that was uncomfortable, almost making him wish that he hadn’t met Chinen at all.

“Maybe you’re the true King.” Inoo said, laughing. They were walking through the market, picking up things for dinner. Apparently having Hikaru come over called for something slightly fancier than usual.

“Now, what’s so funny about that?” Takaki asked back. He didn’t want to be the King, honestly, and he hadn’t even really considered it. He was in the prophecy somewhere though, and he had more of a chance being the “true king” than the “maiden of deceit”, he supposed.

“You don’t know anything about here, do you?” Inoo asked, looking over a basket of sweet rolls. “Besides, none of us will be interested in following your Electricity god. You’ll probably be usurped as soon as you bring him up.”

“I…” Takaki shook his head, laughing. Ever since an amazingly disastrous attempt to teach Inoo what electricity actually was, he had stopped even denying it. “I wouldn’t try. I’m not that kind of ruler.”

“Good.” After deciding the rolls were good enough for purchase, Inoo led the way to a fruit stand. “And if you’re the true King, then who am I?”

“In the prophecy, you mean?” Takaki asked. “Who says you’re in the prophecy?”

“I am the guy that’s been helping you out the whole time.” Inoo pointed out. “That has to be good for something.”

“Well…” Takaki had to think for a moment. “The only people left are the bringer of light, and the maiden of deceit. You can’t be the Prince, or the false ruler.”

“There’s a lamb and a lion too.” Inoo pointed out. Takaki nodded, realizing the mentions of the animals were probably not literal.

“Any idea what those are actually about?”

“A lion is on our king’s sigil.” Inoo said, putting a few apples in the basket next to the rolls. “So probably someone of high standing—or, at least, someone relevant—and connected to the castle.”

“Which is not you.” Takaki finished. Inoo threw him a look.

“Hey, I’m relevant! I cause them plenty of trouble!”

“And what about the lamb?”

“That one doesn’t quite make sense.” Inoo shrugged. “Lambs don’t really have much in the way of known symbolism. I mean, we do eat them, but…”

“Wait. Lambs though, not sheep.” Takaki said. “Isn’t lamb something only rich people eat?”

“I guess that’s what makes it a riddle then.” Inoo said. “Lions aren’t supposed to love lambs, they’re supposed to eat them.”

Inoo then declared them done with shopping, paying for the apples and handing the basket to Takaki, who began leading them out of Commoner’s Square the way they had come in. The streets were filled with people, the crowd jostling them as they tried to walk through. The voices sounded angry, and something about it was worrying.

Then a loud, infuriated male voice broke out, and there was an agreeing roar. Takaki wasn’t able to make out what had been said, but it had definitely done its job, the people around them shouting and moving quickly.

“We need to leave.” Inoo said, leaning close to be heard over everything that was happening, his voice urgent.

“Why? What’s happening?”

“A riot. Come on.”

Inoo’s hand was in his again, pulling him down an alley. Takaki reached into the basket to grab an apple, unsure if lobbing fruit would be necessary in this situation too, but somehow feeling safer when the apple was in his hand.

“Is it dangerous to be there?” Takaki assumed the answer was yes, but he wasn’t sure why. All of the townspeople loved Inoo, which had always made them feel like allies.

“Well, angry people are never fun to be around, are they?” Inoo’s breath was coming out in small puffs as he pulled Takaki along. “And the King’s Guard are always angry when they come to stop a riot.”

The King’s Guard. Yabu had mentioned them yesterday, the negative connotations they brought with them enough motivation for Takaki to push his legs faster. The shouts behind them were becoming more disorganized and more distant, still faintly audible until Inoo shut the front door of the house behind them. He leaned against the wood of the door, Takaki putting the basket of food on the table and leaning forward on his thighs, breathing.

“You know, I’ve done more running while I’ve been here than I probably did for my entire life back home.” He remarked once he felt he could speak. Inoo laughed.

“Sounds like it was pretty boring back home.” He answered, Takaki realizing that to some extent, he was right. Living hadn’t really ever felt like anything extraordinary, especially after becoming an adult. It just wasn’t something to get excited about anymore.

“Well, it was nothing like this.”

Inoo looked at him strangely, a little smile on his face, before taking the basket off of the table and entering the kitchen. They made dinner together—or, at least, they tried—deeming it enough of a success by the time Yabu and Hikaru came home.


	6. Chapter 6

“How was it today?” Inoo asked, the four of them sitting in the living room, waiting for Daiki to get home. Yabu sighed.

“There was another one.”

“Another riot.” Hikaru clarified. Takaki nodded.

“We were out when it happened.” He supplied. “What was it about?”

“The same thing as the one yesterday, from what we know.” Hikaru responded resignedly, Yabu resting his head on his boyfriend’s shoulder. Takaki hadn’t actually seen them act affectionately towards each other yet—though, granted, this was his second time seeing Hikaru at all—but even the way they walked through the front door together showed the comfort they had together, the way they reacted and moved showing the long time of companionship that Inoo had mentioned.

“The King’s not going to question anyone else for now, but he did send a few people to work in the kitchens.”

“That’s not a good idea.” Inoo remarked, eyebrows raised. “Lowering in position—which going from a King’s Guardsman to a dishwasher is, undoubtedly—will only make the people he fired angry, and then they probably will tell.”

“They can’t tell things people already know.” Hikaru said. “Besides, washing dishes is better than death, which was his first idea. I had to convince him against it, especially since all of the men passed questioning. All of them were innocent.”

Inoo sent a more or less “told you so” glance in Takaki’s direction at that, who shrugged.

“Anyway, you guys talk.” Yabu requested, waving an arm in their direction. “Something not about work.” Inoo complied easily, a smile on his face.

“While Takaki and I were out, we figured out something about the prophecy.”

He sounded so proud that Takaki almost laughed, knowing all he meant was the ‘lion and lamb’ thing they had discussed before being distracted by the mob. Hikaru was very interested in the information, Yabu’s head slipping as he leaned forward.

“Really? What is it?”

His interest was replaced with an expression that was rather unamused when Inoo told him.

“I thought that was obvious.” He deadpanned. Inoo’s mouth opened in indignation.

“What—why?”

“Well, it couldn’t be literal.” Hikaru answered. “No one that lives here has seen a lion in the flesh. The tale of our first ruler riding in on one was discredited years ago as a myth.”

“Well, maybe one will show up, thanks to this prophecy.” Takaki said. “That would be cool.”

“Maybe you could tame it, and it could be your pet when you’re sitting on the throne.” Inoo answered, tone heavy with sarcasm.

“Takaki is the true King?” Yabu asked, surprised. Takaki shook his head quickly, about to completely deny every aspect of Inoo’s statement when the younger spoke first.

“We thought about it, but decided it wouldn’t work out.”

“Oh, because of the Electricity god?” Yabu seemed to understand immediately, Inoo nodding and Takaki putting his face in his hands.

“The most complex part of all of it is the ‘maiden of deceit’ part, though.” Hikaru said, his slow tone suggesting he was thinking aloud. “There aren’t any women close enough to the King or the Prince to be relevant, and I feel like the maiden can’t just be someone off the streets.”

“Most of those women aren’t maidens anyway.” Inoo remarked offhandedly, Yabu choking back a laugh as Hikaru took a pillow off the couch and threw it at him. “Don’t act so offended, you two aren’t maidens either.”

Takaki didn’t quite understand the joke, but he felt that was for the better, judging by how red Yabu’s face had become.

“I’m home!” Came a shout, the door opening to reveal Daiki. Inoo jumped up and ran to him, going behind him both to hug him around the waist and to use his body as shield between himself and Hikaru, who had picked up another pillow.

“Hikaru’s throwing things at me.” he whined.

“Inoo’s making dirty jokes.” Hikaru defended. Daiki put on a face of mock thoughtfulness, scratching at his chin.

“I think I’ve intervened this exact situation before.”

Yabu laughed again, the short farmer releasing himself from Inoo’s grip and going to change clothes, saying that when he was back they could eat. They did, and the meal was extremely entertaining. Dinner wasn’t normally dull, not by any means, but Hikaru was an interesting character that cracked a good deal of jokes, and while Takaki’s limited cultural knowledge only allowed him to understand a fraction of them, his cluelessness itself became a running gag by the time the dishes were being washed. Despite being scared by Hikaru when he had first introduced himself, Takaki had come to like the magician. He was funny, and had a good head on his shoulders.

After telling a surprisingly interesting tale about cabbages, Daiki left them to take a bath. Hikaru was talking about something, and Takaki was trying to listen, but Inoo kept nudging him in the shoulder, or hitting his side with his pointy elbow, finally causing Takaki to look over at him.

“What?”

Inoo cleared his throat, glancing painfully obviously at the front door. When Takaki didn’t move Inoo just sighed, pulling him to his feet and outside, both Yabu and Hikaru laughing behind them.

“Why are we outside?” Takaki couldn’t help but ask. It was dark and even a little cold, Inoo rubbing his arms and beginning to walk.

“Because Yabu and Hikaru need some time alone.” Inoo answered, Takaki speeding up to fall in step next to him. “That was the whole point of having Hikaru over for dinner—Yabu’s too stressed out. He’s a big crybaby. I don’t know why he decided to be a knight, honestly. I mean, I know it was for Hikaru, but there are some things the King’s shown him that he never needed to see.”

Takaki suddenly had the feeling that the questioning had involved more than a truth serum, and it made him feel a little sick. He didn’t know where they were walking, unable to recognize their surroundings well in the dark, but he had a feeling that their wandering was mostly aimless.

“Their relationship seems to be good though.” Takaki said. “Yabu and Hikaru’s, I mean.”

Inoo nodded, about to respond when he stopped walking, Takaki nearly bumping into him. He was squinting into the darkness, Takaki nearly jumping out of his skin when he heard a stick snap somewhere in front of them. Closer inspection revealed a tall, dark figure, Takaki’s mind racing; if magicians were real, what else was a possibility here? Werewolves? Vampires?

“…Yuto?” Inoo said, voice full of confusion.

Sure enough, the tall figure was Yuto, his features becoming visible as he stepped closer.

“What are you guys doing out here?” He asked them. “It’s dark out.”

“I can see that.” Inoo frowned at him. “What are you doing out here?”

“I have to… I’m going…” Yuto was floundering to answer, which only served to further discredit the highly unlikely answer he finally managed to give them. “I left something in the castle today. I need to go get it, that’s all.”

“Yuto, the gates have already closed for the night.” Inoo told him, voice layered with doubt. Yuto just gave them a little laugh.

“Don’t worry, they’ll open for me. See you guys later!”

The he scurried past them, gone again in the darkness, Inoo frowning after him.

“What do you think that was about?” Takaki asked.

“I don’t know.” Inoo confessed. “I just don’t know why he wouldn’t tell us. I mean, he’s allowed to have his own secrets, but… It’ll be fine. Yuto’s a good kid. He can take care of himself.”

Inoo’s last sentence was less confident than the one before it, but the topic was dismissed nonetheless. They walked in silence for a long while, Takaki about to ask how long until they could turn back when Inoo spoke up.

“Takaki, I’ve been thinking since we talked about the prophecy earlier, and this might sound completely crazy but… What if I’m the maiden of deceit?”

“What?” Takaki asked back, unable to see how that could even be a possibility. The maiden, by definition, should be a female, and their sharing of a room made Takaki pretty sure that there wasn’t anything Inoo was hiding from him. “How would that work?”

“Well, think about it. It’s the first part of the prophecy, and the first thing that happened to you when you got here was rescue me. I was deceiving a lot of people—the groom was so proud of my beauty that he invited his entire extended family to our wedding—and he and I never—and I’ve never, with anyone—and I was going to be executed, but it failed. Execution is too extreme of a punishment for what I did, and I’d never really understood why it was happening. But then you showed up and stopped it. I know it’s a bit of a stretch, but in a weird way, it all fits together, doesn’t it?”

Oddly enough, it did.

“Why wouldn’t it be, you know, an actual woman though?” Takaki had to ask. “Prophecies are cryptic and all—they’re supposed to be--but I feel like they would at least get that part right.”

That made Inoo laugh, shrugging. “I don’t know. And I’m not saying that I’m right, because the last thing I want is to get wrapped up even further in this, but Hikaru was right about there not being any relevant women. It’s been about five years since the Queen died, and no one’s been matched up with Prince Chinen yet. Besides, if it is me, then that means you’ve at least done something to help the prophecy along. You were supposed to jumpstart things, weren’t you? Get on with it.”

Takaki opened his mouth indignantly at Inoo’s jest, making him burst out laughing.

“I think we can go back home now. Carry me.”

“I’m not carrying you.” Takaki deadpanned, Inoo laughing again.

“Fine. You’d probably get lost anyway. Come on loser, it’s this way.”

The way back, somehow, was infinitely clumsier than the way there, tripping over the ground and each other in the dark. By the time they had reached the front door Takaki was sure they were laughing too loudly for the time of night, but he also didn’t much care. They stumbled through the front door to see Yabu and Hikaru on the couch, facing each other, Yabu’s hands hovering just over Hikaru’s palms. Takaki recognized the hand game, laughing a little at it, surprised that it also existed here, now, wherever he was.

“Oh, hi.” Inoo straightened up when he saw them, raising his eyebrows. “I figured you guys would be in Yabu’s room by now.”

Hikaru laughed. “No, we’re not crazy kids like you two. We were just talking. How was your midnight stroll? Romantic enough?”

“Shut up.” Inoo told him, Takaki saying

“We saw Yuto.”

“Yuto?” Yabu frowned, Hikaru taking advantage of his diverted attention to slap the tops of his boyfriend’s hands, getting a shove against his chest in response. “What was he doing out there?”

“He said he was going back to the castle to get something.”

“And he was heading in the right direction.” Inoo added. “But still, Yuto is a bad liar.”

“One of us will see him tomorrow, so we’ll ask about it.” Hikaru promised, and after bidding each of them goodnight, Inoo made his way to his room. Takaki followed, entering just in time to see Inoo jumping on to his bed, burrowing immediately under the covers. Inoo left the candle burning just long enough for Takaki to change into his pajamas, snuffing it out before he had time to get into bed.

“Well, goodnight to you too, maiden of deceit.” Takaki said, stumbling around the room for a moment.

“Your Royal Highness, our true King, please show your loyal subject some mercy.” Inoo answered, voice heavy with mock courtesy and making Takaki laugh, Inoo giggling a little before falling silent for the night.

The next morning, Takaki woke before Inoo did. He was adjusting to the rising with the sun lifestyle that persisted here, and it was a strange feeling; never in his life had he been a morning person.

He didn’t have much time to bask in the accomplishment though, both Hikaru and Yabu peeking inside the room, Yabu’s chin resting on Hikaru’s head.

“Breakfast is ready! Wake up!”

Inoo’s response was to take the pillow out from under his head and lob it at them, but he had effectively been woken up, grumbling behind Takaki as they walked into the kitchen. Yuto was there, in a slump on the table. It was surprising, because every time Takaki had seen Yuto he was upright, happy, smiling, moving; now he looked nearly as tired as Inoo did.

“What happened?” Takaki had to ask. Yuto didn’t lift his head as he answered.

“I was up all night.”

“Doing what?” Hikaru asked. That brought Yuto into a sitting position, hesitating for a moment.

“I… My little brother’s cat got out, and we had to chase him all through town. He ended up coming back on his own, and we didn’t know, so we were just running around all over the place. Raiya’s just lucky and gets to sleep in.”

“Oh, and here I thought you’d just had a hard time finding whatever is was you went into the castle to get.” Inoo said, voice deadpan. Daiki was confused, giving Yuto a questioning look as he placed a plate of ham and leftover sweet rolls in the center of the table.

“Yuto, doesn’t Raiya have a pet bunny? Not a cat?”

“…right.”

“Yuto, I don’t mean to pry, but…” Yabu sat down across from the exhausted messenger, tone concerned. “You’re a horrible liar. You can tell us stuff, you know that right?”

“I know! I know. I’m sorry. And I do trust you guys.”

“But?” Inoo guessed. Yuto nodded.

“This isn’t something I can talk about. I’m sorry.”

The room had grown quiet, Yuto’s apologetic expression making Takaki feel bad. It was Hikaru that broke the silence, coming up behind Yuto and rubbing his shoulders.

“Eat some breakfast, and we’ll go into the castle together. Take care of yourself, alright? I don’t like seeing you like this.”

“Okay.” Yuto gave him a smile, and they all began to eat. Soon after the meal was over all of the castle workers left together, Inoo and Takaki the only ones in the kitchen.

"Man, I need a job." Inoo said, Takaki nodding in agreement. He'd been thinking the same for a while now, feeling a bit too much like a freeloader. Rent didn't seem to be a thing here, and they hadn't been running out of food from what Takaki could tell, so he wasn't that much of a dead weight, but it still bothered him. He hadn't ever gone so long without a job once he's started working--not that he really knew how long it had been since he'd arrived here. He had tried to count the days at first, but had lost track somewhere about a week ago, and it had lost its importance.

"About how long has it been since I almost died?" Inoo asked thoughtfully. Takaki shrugged.

"I was about to ask you the same thing, actually. Don't you guys have calendars, or something?" Takaki knew that a "week" was not a measurement they went by, but there were days, moon cycles, and Daiki had mentioned time by reference of the ripening of crops. Inoo nodded.

"We don't own one but yeah, they exist. I just don't remember what phase the moon was in the night before. I had more important things to think about."


	7. Chapter 7

Takaki was given a small hint on their passage of time problem--or his problem, it didn't seem to bother Inoo much--when Daiki came home humming, a smile on his face.

"I know that smile." Inoo said, grinning and waving his potato peeling knife in Daiki's direction. "That's your Yamada smile."

"...shut up." Daiki said, putting his index finger and thumb on each corner of his mouth to try and keep himself from grinning. It didn't work though, and he quickly gave up. "A lot of the fruit is ripening up." He explained. “We’re picking it tomorrow, and then in two or three days it’ll be time to deliver it.”

He was beaming even more than before, and Inoo beamed back at him. “I love your Yamada smile.” He told Daiki, getting a light hit in the arm. Every day Daiki got increasingly happier, shaking Takaki awake before the sun was up for them to go. Takaki couldn’t even find it in himself to be grumpy at the hour, seeing the spring in Daiki’s step.

“Why’re you so excited?” He had to ask. He knew, of course, that Daiki liked Yamada, but Daiki seemed to be looking more forward to this visit than the previous one.

“The first strawberries of the season ripened this week, on one of my bushes. They’re Yamada’s favorite fruit, so I’m going to take them to him. They’re not supposed to be ripe yet; he’s going to be surprised.”

That was so cute that Takaki could barely stand it, smiling and shaking his head as the two of them made it down the hill. Being around all of the farmers, everyone bustling about with their various crates and randomly placing produce in his arms was a lot less nerve wracking than it had been the first time, Takaki feeling almost like he understood what to do, and where to go. That confidence went down a bit as he made a wrong turn, Daiki having to shout his name and pull him by the arm, but they made it into the castle easily enough.

Yamada, again, wasn’t in the kitchens, Daiki leading the way to the staircase, a tiny basket of red strawberries balanced carefully on top of a crate of pears. The throne room was empty, the curtains drawn and the room looking ominously dark.

Prince Chinen and his bodyguard—Takaki had forgotten his name—were at the top of the stairs, coming down towards them. A smile broke out on Chinen’s face when he spotted them, waving excitedly. The little Prince, though a man grown, was very cute, Takaki had to admit.

“Arioka! What do you have?”

“Your Majesty,” Daiki bowed the best he could, his action reminding Takaki to do the same “I have fruit, mostly. And some squash. You like melon, right?”

“I do!” Chinen answered excitedly. He was down to their level now, on the step between Daiki and Takaki himself. “Are those strawberries for Yamada?”

“The first ones of the season.” Daiki nodded, pride all over his face.

“Oh, that’s so cute! Ryu, look at the little basket they’re in!” Chinen twisted to look at his bodyguard, pointing as he spoke, the turn causing his sock clad feet to slip on the stone steps. His body pitched downwards, Takaki letting out a shout and rushing behind him. Chinen’s backs hit the crates in his arms, nearly knocking him off balance too, but by then Chinen and Ryutaro’s hands had found each other, Ryutaro pulling Chinen forward against his chest.

Once everyone had solidly regained their footing, Chinen turned to Takaki, eyes wide.

“Thank you.”

“Of course, your majesty.” Takaki wasn’t sure what else to say but that, leaning against the staircase railing, trying to readjust the crates he was holding. Chinen stepped forward to help resituate them, Ryutaro’s hands not moving from the small Prince’s shoulders.

“No, really. I’m pretty sure you just saved my life. And that’s supposed to be Ryutaro’s job.” It was supposed to be a joke, Chinen glancing over his shoulder and grinning, but his bodyguard did not smile back. “Hey…” The Prince’s face lit up with inspiration. “Why don’t I hire you too?”

“I… What?” Takaki was flabbergasted, glancing in Daiki’s direction for help. Daiki looked as surprised as he did though, which didn’t offer much help.

“I wouldn’t be good as a bodyguard, your majesty, I have no training, and I…”

“Not as my bodyguard, I have one of those. Maybe just someone that makes my bed, and mails my letters; tasks like that. And, I mean, Yamada is great and all, but I would enjoy having more than one friend.”

Being Chinen’s friend. Being _the Prince’s_ friend. Takaki took a breath that he hoped wasn’t too noticeable. He could do that, right? He was friendly enough. He was a friendly person. Besides, a request by royalty was as good as a command, and if Inoo had taught him anything, it was that a command was never refused. Well, that and to always bow.

“If that’s what your majesty wants, then I humbly accept the position.”

Chinen beamed. “When could you move in?” he asked. Takaki looked at Daiki again, and again his friend was no help. This was all happening so quickly.

“Um… As early as tomorrow, I think.” He didn’t have too many belongings to his name; they would be easy to move.

“Excellent. We’ll have a room ready for you tomorrow then. Ryutaro and I will stop by midday to help carry your things. You live with Arioka, correct?”

“Yes. Your majesty.” Takaki added the title on as an afterthought, wincing. He wasn’t going to survive, living in the castle. The flub did not escape the Prince’s notice but the man just smiled, carrying on down the stairs after the exchange of farewells. Takaki just stood in a state of disbelief, trying to process what had just happened.

“I… Wow.” Daiki said. “I knew the Prince liked you, but…”

“I’m moving in here. Tomorrow.” Takaki looked around, at the magnificent tapestries and high ceilings, standing in his cheap cotton clothes and half-dyed hair. It was unreal. They continued on their journey to the Prince’s room, Daiki taking all of his crates in one arm to use his free hand and pluck the basket from the top, hiding it behind his back. The door opened as soon as it was knocked on, Yamada again standing there and beaming, Daiki saying

“Could you take these from me will quick? I have a surprise for you.”

“Okay…?”

He took the boxes, the muscles in his arms surprising Takaki, Daiki pulling the strawberries out and holding them up. Yamada’s mouth opened wide, looking both delighted and confused.

“But, I thought—”

“They’re early. The first of the season. I thought of you when I saw them, so I had to bring you some.”

Daiki, truth be told, was too romantic for his own good, and Takaki was sure that if not for the boxes between them, there wouldn’t be much of anything between them anymore. Sliding the basket’s handle around his wrist, Daiki took the boxes Takaki was carrying, the two of them going into the food storage room. Takaki felt especially useless now, with nothing to do and not even anyone to talk to, listening to Daiki telling Yamada all about what had happened on the staircase just minutes before. Takaki looked around Chinen’s room, trying to identify and place everything. He was going to have to get very familiar with the place very soon and honestly, it scared him. Inoo talked up the royalty to be deadly and all powerful, and Takaki didn’t much doubt him, regretting for the first time in his life that he didn’t really know how to make a bed.

They didn’t see Ryutaro or the Prince on the way out of the castle, Daiki sharing the news of Takaki’s promotion with Inoo as soon as they walked in the door.

“You’re _what?!_” Inoo shrieked. “You’re doing what?”

“I’m… I’m Prince Chinen’s new serving boy. Starting tomorrow.” Takaki answered, wincing at the volume of Inoo’s voice. “I didn’t know what to say, so I accepted.”

“Of course you did. You couldn’t say no.” The shock of the news seemed to have worn off quickly, Inoo frowning a little and beginning to pace. “So you’re moving out tomorrow then?”

Takaki nodded, Inoo giving him a cheeky grin.

“Awesome. I get my room back.”

“Hey!” Takaki hadn’t fully realized that moving in to the castle meant moving out of this place, away from the people that had instantly taken him in and become his friends. He would still see them around the castle, he supposed. All of them except Inoo, and that was a thought he didn’t like very much.

“Yes, and the Prince is stopping by to help move his things.” Daiki said, his wide eyes and implications of the statement not missed by Inoo, whose voice shot up a few octaves again.

“Stopping by?!” He repeated. “The Prince is coming here? We have to clean everything. Now.”

“Yeah, he said that he and Ryutaro were going to come down.”

“Oh, of course Ryutaro’s coming with him.”

Inoo’s voice was layered with implication, and Takaki did not quite understand why.

“Because he’s the Prince’s bodyguard?” He asked.

“Well, that too.” Inoo said with a shrug. “That and because he’s in love with him.”

“He is?” Takaki hadn’t noticed that at all, wondering just how many relationship revelations Inoo had up his sleeve. He himself hadn’t noticed any lingering touches or adoring glances, like Daiki and Yamada had.

“He’s good at hiding it, isn’t he? I didn’t realize it until—well, I didn’t mean to say it, it was entirely inappropriate—but I made a flirty sort of comment to Prince Chinen when I was helping Daiki carry in stuff.”

“Oh, right!” Daiki burst into laughter at the memory.

“What did he say?” Takaki asked Daiki, but when the farmer just kept laughing, he turned to Inoo. “What did you say?”

“I… Well… I may have compared his butt to a peach in one way or another. Thankfully he didn’t get offended, he laughed, but Ryutaro…”

“Maybe he was just mad because you said something inappropriate?” Takaki guessed, Inoo waving a finger at him.

“That’s what I thought too, but it broke the ice for the Prince and I to talk a little, and I flubbed a few more compliments. Ryutaro frowned more when I payed him a genuine, thought out compliment than when I said ‘I wanna take a bite of _that_ peach’.”

“You said that?” Takaki asked, appalled. Inoo threw his hands up defensively.

“Under my breath! I mumbled it. I didn’t mean it at him—I didn’t mean it at all—but he heard me.”

“I can’t believe you.” Takaki told him, shaking his head, and Inoo laughed. They spent the entire day cleaning the house, scrubbing and sweeping and doing laundry. Yabu came home in the middle of it, Inoo placing a broom in his hand as soon as he walked in, but the older man didn’t actually get much cleaning done, instead congratulating Takaki and talking to him about the castle. He tried to help by describing the layout of all of the castle's important rooms, but it wasn’t too helpful thanks to Takaki’s limited exploration of the enormous building.

Once all the cleaning was finished and dinner was done, there was nothing else to distract Takaki from the reality of what was happening tomorrow. He laid on his back in bed, staring at the blackness of the ceiling, trying to imagine what it was going to be like.

“Are you excited?” Inoo asked. The question was surprising; Inoo had been so still and quiet that Takaki had assumed he was asleep.

"Kind of.” There was some excitement in the thought, but he was more nervous than anything else. “I mean, being in the castle will be cool I guess, but I know I’m going to screw up.”

“Of course you are.” Inoo said with a laugh. “The Prince is kind though, and since he knows you’re not from around here, he’ll probably be cutting you some slack. I can’t vouch for the King though, so around him just make sure you remember the manners I taught you.”

Takaki nodded, closing his eyes and trying to recall the phrases. Yes Your Grace, Your Highness, as it pleases Your Grace… Nothing negatory or defiant.

“Hey, what if this happening is part of the prophecy? What if you’re going there to usurp the throne?”

Calling him the true King had become a running joke at this point, and the thought made Takaki laugh.

“I will have to be careful though, about the prophecy.” Takaki pointed out. “Apparently it’s treason, right?”

“Anything that implies a threat on the King and his power is treason.” Inoo said. “So yeah, saying that he’s false, going to be overthrown, and then killed by his son is treason. Like… The definition of treason.”

The next morning, Inoo—rather sarcastically, much to Takaki’s chagrin—demonstrated how to make his bed. It took him longer to do than he expected, and required a strangely large amount of energy, but Takaki was able to complete the task to the rest of his housemates’ satisfaction. Daiki was cleaning again, moving around nervously and shouting out various exclamations. Due to his preoccupation, Yabu had been tasked with making breakfast while Inoo helped Takaki pack his things. Yabu couldn’t cook though, breakfast consisting more or less of fruit and burnt toast. It was good enough though, because Takaki couldn’t settle his stomach.

It didn’t take very long for him to pack his things, consisting largely of blankets and clothes, Takaki throwing his wallet and powered off cell phone in at the top of the cloth sack Yabu had given him. He hadn’t touched either of the objects in weeks, having left them in the top drawer of Inoo’s dresser and forgetting about them due to lack of necessity. He almost left them behind because really, they didn’t have any use, but they were his only ties to the where he used to live, and not having them felt a little strange.

Ryutaro and the Prince were to stop by midday, and by the time the sun was high in the sky, everyone was sitting in the living room, watching the door. When there was a knock Inoo visibly jumped, Yabu leaping up to answer it.

Surprisingly, it was Yamada at the door. He peeked his head in, grinning when he saw Daiki, and when eye contact was established the farmer's cheeks turned an almost incriminating shade of red. Chinen and Ryutaro were behind him, entering afterwards and looking around. The place was spotless but it still seemed incredibly small and underwhelming compared to the silk clothing the castle dwellers were in, especially with the ring of unadorned pink gold on the Prince’s head.

“How do you all fit in here?” Chinen asked. “I mean, it’s not that small, but you are four people.”

“Takaki gets to sleep on the floor, Your Grace.” Inoo answered, the straightforward manner with which he answered the question making Chinen and Yamada laugh.

“Well, he won’t be any longer. Where are your things? I brought two helping hands if you need anything carried.”

Takaki walked over and picked up his sack of clothes. “This is all, Your Grace. Thank you, but I think I can manage it on my own.”

“Oh. Okay.” Chinen just shrugged, the settling silence implying that it was about time to go. Takaki didn’t want to though; he suddenly felt as though he had just gotten here, and was being thrust again into unfamiliar territory.

His friends read the mood as well, Daiki coming up to him first and giving him a hug.

"Don’t look like that; it’s not like we’re never going to see each other again. I’ll be there before you know it with the last of the crops before winter.”

“Okay.” Takaki said, laughing a little as Daiki stepped back. Yabu pulled him into a hug next, looking a little awkward. Takaki knew he would be seeing Yabu in various places around the castle, and for that he was grateful.

Inoo stepped up to him last, Takaki raising an eyebrow.

“I just know you’re happy, because you get your room back.” he teased, Inoo’s mouth opening indignantly.

“Hey! I’m going to miss you!” He defended, sounding almost angry, and Takaki laughed, opening his arms for a hug. Inoo stepped in quickly, completely squeezing the breath out of him before stepping back, head bowed. “Have fun, alright? Don’t fall down the stairs or anything. Use your manners.”

“I will.”

And then Takaki was out the door, Chinen and Ryutaro walking ahead in front of him.


	8. Chapter 8

“Your friends seem very nice. They care about you a lot.” Chinen said. Takaki nodded.

“Yes, Your Grace. I am lucky to have found them.”

“Speaking of friends, we left Yamada behind.” Ryutaro said, voice completely deadpan. Takaki hadn’t noticed that, and obviously neither had Chinen, the young Prince glancing around before sighing.

“I knew he actually wanted to see Daiki, not help carry your things, but I didn’t think he would just… Stay.” He turned on his heel, marching back to the house, knocking again on the door. Everyone inside knew what he was there for except for Yamada and Daiki, the two in their own little world, Yamada talking about something in the kitchen as he held up a few spices.

“Hey! We left already!” Chinen called, getting their attention. Yamada turned guiltily, a sheepish smile on his face.

“Sorry, I need to go.” He told Daiki, pulling him in for the quickest of hugs before dashing to the door. His face was pink when he rejoined them, Takaki only able to wave goodbye again and take in Daiki’s shocked expression before the chef closed the door behind himself. Chinen’s mouth was open, looking surprised and happy, raising a hand to point at Yamada.

“You just…!”

“Stop, no. Well, yes.” Yamada went quickly from embarrassed to concerned, pacing circles around them as they walked back. “Was it okay? Was it too much? What did he do? I didn’t look back.”

“He was overjoyed, I’m sure.”

The look Yamada gave Ryutaro made it obvious that he did not appreciate what the bodyguard said, but the glare did not diminish Ryutaro's amusement at himself, continuing to smile.

“You did surprise him.” Chinen said. That much was obvious though, Takaki deciding to chime in. He figured that the Prince and Ryutaro knew about the feelings between Daiki and Yamada, but how supportive they seemed to be was surprising.

“He doesn’t think you being interested in him is possible, because you’re of higher status.” He told Yamada. The chef frowned. “We’ve tried to tell him, but he’s in denial about it, so… You might have just confused him.”

“Oh.” Yamada didn’t like that, Takaki could tell. “I thought I was being obvious, but he doesn’t even think I like him? Why?”

“Don’t worry, you were being obvious.” Takaki said, Chinen nodding along exaggeratedly, his eyes widening for emphasis. “He just thinks the gap between what he has and what you have is too big for you to be interested in him, I guess.”

“Well, how am I supposed to… How am I supposed to get him to kiss me if he doesn't even think I like him?” The question was more or less rhetorical, Yamada fading into thought as they approached the castle gates. The guards bowed low before letting them in, and despite Takaki knowing that their courtesy wasn’t being aimed as him, being on the receiving end of it was strange.

He had never entered the castle from the front either, the throne room doors open and curtains drawn, the same as it had been yesterday. The crown’s pedestal was centered in the middle of the room, directly in front of them, the jewels winking in his direction as they passed.

“Let’s go up to your room.” Chinen said, his tone light as he led the way up the stairs. They ended up in front of a room directly next to the Prince’s bedroom, and opening the door revealed a room of roughly the same size, someone else’s belongings already in it. It wasn't at all what Takaki had expected; he’d assumed he’d be moving into somewhere small and solitary, like a cupboard under the stairs.

“This is Ryutaro’s room, but since he spends more time in my room than his own, he said he wouldn’t mind sharing it. An extra bed was moved in, and the entire left side of the room is yours.” Chinen said, gesturing. Takaki glanced in Ryutaro’s direction, expecting to find some displeasure on his face at no longer having a bedroom of his own, but he truly did not seem against the idea, which eased Takaki’s feelings about it, despite how intimidating the bodyguard was. “Originally you were going to get your own bedroom, but there weren’t any available rooms on this floor. Besides, this room has the added bonus of being directly connected to mine.”

Sure enough, there was a door on the left wall, and when Chinen opened it Takaki caught sight of the blue chair the Prince had in his room.

“Unpack and acquaint yourself with the room, and come in when you’re ready.”

Takaki nodded, Yamada, Ryutaro, and Chinen exiting into Chinen’s room and closing the door. The room-joining door was near the head of Takaki’s bed, a bed half the size of Chinen’s and about the size of his old one back at home. Ryutaro had obviously lived in this space all of his life, a few childhood trinkets littered across his desk and the window sill. He had a few knives, pens, and notebooks sitting around as well, a charcoal sketch under the candle on his bedside table. Takaki walked over to it, and though it had obviously been drawn years and years ago, the paper held the recognizable young faces of Ryutaro and the Prince, smiling and looking as though they had just rolled around in the mud, their arms around each other’s shoulders. With the exception of a few drips of wax, the drawing looked impeccable for its age, Takaki remembering Inoo’s theory of the love Ryutaro had for his charge.

It didn’t take long for Takaki to unpack his things, his small collection of clothing embarrassingly small in the large wardrobe that had been provided for him. He threw one of the pillows he had taken from Inoo’s room on to his bed, leaving the rest of his bedding folded up and sliding it under his bed. After putting his wallet and cell phone into his side table drawer, Takaki knocked on the Prince’s door.

“Come in!” Chinen chimed. Ryutaro was sitting on the couch, his arms spread out across the back of it, the Prince and his Chef sprawled in various positions across his large feather bed. Yamada had obviously been lamenting to Chinen, his expression distraught. Their relationship was interesting to Takaki; Yamada worked for the Prince, but they seemed more like friends than royalty and subordinate. It was nice though, and made Takaki feel more comfortable about his own position of employment. It made him wonder if the King really was as bad as Inoo would talk about.

Yamada stopped talking when Takaki entered, just heaving a sigh and getting to his feet.

“You're going to kitchens for a snack then?” he asked and Chinen nodded, also standing. “I’ll start preparing dinner.” Excusing himself, Yamada disappeared into his kitchen area.

“Ready for a tour of the castle?” Chinen asked, and it took Takaki a moment to realize the Prince was addressing him.

“I... Okay. Your Majesty.”

“Majesty…?” Chinen asked, an eyebrow raised, and Takaki didn’t know what to say. Was it because he had paused, nearly forgetting the formality? When Chinen realized his cluelessness he just laughed, waving a hand and explaining.

“Majesty is only to be used on the King. I’m not my father yet.”  
Takaki nodded, apologizing quickly.

“I’m sorry; this has been difficult to get used to. We don’t have things like Kings and Queens where I came from.” He explained. Chinen seemed surprised by that as he extended a hand to Ryutaro, helping pull the bodyguard to his feet. The touch was unnecessary, Takaki unable not to notice.

“What’s it like where you live, then?” Chinen asked as they left the room, starting down the stairs. Takaki had to think for a moment, unsure of where to begin.

“Well, this might be brought up by Inoo or someone, so… There’s this thing where I live called electricity.”

“Electricity?” Chinen echoed, fumbling the word slightly. Takaki nodded. As he talked they exited the castle, circling around the right of the building and approaching a large wooden structure. By the time Takaki was able to recognize the building as a stable he had already started and restarted his electricity explanation three times, but he was pretty sure that by the time they came to a stop in front of the stables, Chinen actually had a decent grasp on the concept.

“It travels through what you call wires, and gives energy to things? Like using oil troughs to light a series of torches?”

“Well… Yes, actually.” Takaki said with a nod, surprised. “Kind of exactly like that.”

“That’s very interesting. You seem to live in a very strange place.” Ryutaro pushed the stable doors open, the three of them walking inside. “And your friends think electricity is a god? That is very funny.”

“I thought so too, honestly.” Takaki said, somehow feeling relieved. “So where are we, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“These are the royal stables. It is where me, Ryutaro, my father, and his King’s Guard all keep their horses. You won’t need to learn how to saddle my horse up—there are stable hands for that—but you will need to know how to get here, and who to contact when I need to go somewhere. Do you know how to ride a horse?”

“No, Your Grace.”

“Well, you might have to learn.”  
That put a block of fear in Takaki’s stomach, unsure of whether or not it showed on his face when the Prince waved a hand. “We can deal with that when the time comes, though. It’s not difficult.”

“O-okay.”

They came to a stop about three-fourths of the way to the other end of the building, in front of the pen of a gorgeous chestnut horse, its mane and tail a deep black. The horse was thin and swift looking, stretching its neck towards them for attention.

“This is Ryutaro’s stallion, Yuujiro.” Chinen said, extending his hand to pet the animal. Ryutaro reached out too, stroking the side of his neck.

“He’s needy.” Ryutaro said, but there was affection in his voice.

“And this is my stallion Toruu.” Chinen side stepped to the stall to their right, reaching out with both of his arms to the gray and white horse that appeared to be asleep against the far wall of his stall. The mane and tail of the horse were wavy and long, and it did not move when its owner clicked his tongue at it, making Chinen frown and fold his arms across his chest, using them to hang his body on the stall door.

“He sleeps a lot.” Chinen said, pouting. Directly to the right of Chinen’s horse was a door and it opened, a short man looking a little flustered as he rushed out to meet them, bowing.

“I apologize your grace, I had the door closed and did not hear you enter, what can I do for you?”

“It’s okay Totsuka, I don’t need anything. I’m just showing Takaki here around.”

The stable hand bowed to Takaki then, introducing himself as Totsuka Shota, and Takaki did likewise.

“Takaki, if I do need to go anywhere, Totsuka is the man you need to tell, and he will ready as many horses as you tell him to. Though we probably won’t be riding often. Horses are scary.”

That declaration was surprising, Takaki glancing over at the Prince, seeing Ryutaro also looking at him, fondness on his face. They left the stable the same door they had come in, Ryutaro touching his horse briefly on the nose as they passed. Once they were back in the castle, Chinen let them into the throne room.

“This is where any meetings with the King are held.” Chinen said, gesturing around. The throne was centered against the back wall, a staircase leading up to the raised platform the glorified chair was on. There were tables placed on either sides of the throne, a few chairs on each side. Takaki turned slowly, taking the room in. With pillars up and down the length of the room, it looked longer and darker than it actually was, the light from the high ceilings casting shadows on the rows of seats against the wall and plenty of floor space. Chinen was standing at the base of the stairs, staring up at the throne, a strange look on his face. Ryutaro walked over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder, and Takaki felt he was definitely missing something.

“The ballroom is over there.” Ryutaro’s presence seemed to have pulled Chinen from whatever train of thought he had fallen into, gesturing to a door in the upper right of the room. The ballroom had only one person in it when they entered, a woman with a bucket and rag, cleaning the wall-length windows.

“You probably won’t have to go in here much; we don’t have any events coming up except my birthday, but that won’t be for a while yet. The main reason for going in here is that this room connects to the kitchen. You've been in the kitchen, right?”

Takaki nodded—he had been through the kitchens twice with Daiki—but the place looked very different when they entered than when he had ever seen it. Each time he had been in the kitchens, the room had been a disorganized commotion of chefs and farmers alike, weaving around tables to different stations with different foods, all of the cabinets open and awaiting their supplies. It had been a whirlwind of sounds and smells, Takaki putting his attention on Daiki, all of his energy focused on making sure to follow him as closely as possible and not trip over anything.

Now though, it was relatively calm. Many of the chefs were singing, the same song, together, the loudest a man in front of the largest stove, his black pants and pink shirt covered by a long, soup stained apron.

“Good afternoon!” Chinen called out, getting their attention. The bow was collective, and once everyone had straightened up the chef in the center of the room came bustling over to them, a bright smile on his face.

“My lovely Prince! What can we get for you today?”

“Just some snacks for me and my friends.” Chinen answered. “Yamada’s working on dinner now, but it’ll be a while yet. Whatever you have will be good enough for me.”

“Of course.” The man began to walk back, Chinen following behind, Takaki and Ryutaro taking up the rear. “I recognize Morimoto, of course, but who is this new friend of yours?”

“Takaki Yuya. He came in with Arioka a few times, carrying food in for Yamada. He saved me from falling down the stairs yesterday, and it reminded me that my father was going to appoint me a serving boy soon if I didn’t do so myself. So I asked him to, and he agreed.”

“Ah, that’s nice. I adore Arioka; he has good taste, in both people and produce.”

Chinen nodded, laughing a bit, Takaki realizing in surprise that this man was a mother. Not really, of course, but—while he was speaking to Chinen almost as one would speak to a child—he was interested, positive, and doting. Hadn’t Inoo said something about the Queen being dead?

They were given sausage, crackers, and cheese, Takaki learning that this man was the head chef for the King, named Katori Shingo. He had worked for King Chinen Takashi since the man was crowned, and was someone Chinen had grown up with.

Once Takaki noticed it though, it was hard to ignore—many of the chefs, especially the older ones, but certainly all of them to a degree—adored Chinen. He was fawned over, offered all varieties of fruits and snacks and sweets.

“I like being in the kitchen.” Chinen told Takaki, once all of the offers had been graciously turned away and the singing had resumed. “Since a lot of the chefs have known me since I was small, they don’t treat me like I’m someone fancy, or important. They treat me like people I’ve known my whole life.”

“Like family?” Takaki suggested. Chinen frowned slightly at the word, thoughtful, almost as though he didn’t understand it.  
“I guess so.”


	9. Chapter 9

On their walk back, Takaki felt that it was probably a good idea to confide in Chinen that he didn’t really know how to perform any of the duties he would to be tasked with. He apologized a few times, Chinen listening seriously before waving a dismissive hand.

“Don’t worry, I know. You’re new around here, and I know that, so I figured I would have to teach you a few things. Anything in particular that you can think of?”

“Um… maybe to make a bed?” Though he had practiced a little, Takaki didn’t feel like the skill was anywhere close to sufficient, and Inoo owned considerably less pillows and blankets than Chinen.

“Oh,” Chinen said, laughing, “You weren’t joking. That’s not hard. I was going to have you fetch me more candles from the library, but now I think that teaching you would be more important.” They had reached the Prince’s bedroom, walking in and being welcomed by something smelling so good that Takaki hoped it was dinner.

“We’re back!” Chinen called, Yamada poking his head around the open doorway of his small kitchen to greet them before disappearing again.

“Now…” Chinen looked at his neatly made bed, frowning. “I’ve got to mess this all up. Want to help, Ryu?”

Ryutaro froze, turning five different shades of red. Chinen giggled and poked his chest, his cheeky expression making Takaki realize the wording of the question had been completely intentional. Then the Prince jumped under the sheets, his pillows falling to the floor as he rolled around. Ryutaro’s face still hadn’t turned back to its original color by the time Chinen resurfaced, his bedding now in complete disarray, but that didn’t stop the bodyguard from reaching down and fixing the Prince’s considerably mussed up hair, running his fingers through the black strands and smoothing them down with gentle hands. Chinen looked up at him, his eyes traveling the young man’s face as Ryutaro tucked a strand of hair behind his left ear. When their eyes met, Takaki was more than convinced they were going to kiss.

Then Ryutaro’s head dipped, but not for a kiss; he stooped, picking a pillow up off the floor and gently hitting the side of Chinen’s head.

“Hey!” It was Chinen then that turned bright red, yanking the pillow from Ryutaro’s hands as he laughed.

“I’ll go get you those candles, Your Grace.” He said, his tone gracious as he dodged the pillow flying for his face and slipped out the door. Once the door was closed Chinen sighed, falling on his back. Takaki simply stood there, unsure of what to say as the Prince began to frown.

“Yamada…” Chinen whined, sliding from his destroyed bedsheets and flopping on the couch. Takaki took that as his signal to begin making the bed, taking the comforter in both hands, unsure of how to start. Yamada popped back in the room, one of the longest carrots Takaki had ever seen in his hand, his hair pinned back and away from his face.

“What?”

“I like him so much, and he’s such an idiot.”

Yamada gave the Prince and sympathetic look, and it was obvious that the two of them had a conversation like this before.

“I know. I know you do.”

“And he likes me too! And all of it is stupid.”

“He does.”

“Why can’t we just…” Chinen trailed off into a loud sigh, burying his face in the cushions. That seemed to be the end of the conversation, Takaki wanting to ask questions but knowing it wasn’t his place.

Thankfully, his bed making attempt wasn’t as bad as he had thought it was going to be, though it definitely wasn’t done as well as it had been before Chinen messed it all up. The Prince hadn’t moved from his facedown position on the couch, Takaki standing silently for a few moments before giving him a hesitant tap on the shoulder.

“I’m done, Your Grace.”

Chinen pulled himself up—some part of Takaki had expected him to be asleep, in truth—looking over the bed and nodding.

“It’s not that bad, really. Though… You did put the comforter on upside down.”

“…Oh.”

Chinen laughed, sitting down on the couch, upright this time. “It’s alright, you don’t have to fix it. It doesn’t really matter which way the comforter is. It doesn’t change anything.”

“Could I ask you something?” There was a question Takaki had on his mind since the Prince had requested his service, Chinen nodding in consent.

“What is it?”

“Why did you hire me?” He didn’t know how to do anything, and Chinen had known that; the whole thing was strange and pointless. “I don’t know how to speak formally, I can’t make your bed, I don’t know where the library is… Why would you hire me?”

“Well, you did save my head from breaking open.” Chinen said, giving Takaki a smile. “And… You didn’t speak to me formally, and I liked that. Don’t get me wrong, Arioka is great, but he uses courtesy after every phrase. Sometimes he bows so low upon seeing me that I’m afraid he’s going to hurt himself. And I guess… It reminds me that I’m going to be king someday.”

“Do you not want to be?” Takaki asked, surprised. History books were full of sons that had committed patricide to be in power sooner than their time, but Chinen was sitting there looking at his lap, a reluctant expression on his face. Takaki was about to retract his question when the Prince spoke up.

“I’ve seen my dad be the King.” Chinen said. He was sitting up straight, voice serious, avoiding eye contact. “I can see how paranoid he’s become. He doesn’t trust anyone. He doesn’t even trust me.”

Takaki sat down on Chinen’s bed, trying to think of something to say. He felt obligated to say something to help, to try and make Chinen feel better, but he had no idea what. Thankfully he didn’t have to, Chinen speaking up again.

“It just… It seems so awful. I don’t see why anyone would want to live like that.” The little Prince sighed, flopping back down on the couch. “Plus, it’s too much work. Don’t you think?”

Ryutaro walked in and Chinen sat up quickly, a smile immediately on his face. The change was sudden, and Takaki couldn’t tell if it was actual happiness at Ryutaro’s presence, or an attempt to hide his emotions. The smile Ryutaro gave him back was small and understanding and Chinen’s expression wilted slightly, becoming much more genuine, Ryutaro tossing the candles down on the comforter and sitting on the couch next to him. Takaki picked the candles up, stacking them up on the bookshelf, watching as Ryutaro offered up his shoulder, murmuring something quietly as Chinen leaned against his side. Inoo was right; Ryutaro obviously loved Chinen, and Chinen liked him too, making Takaki wonder if the two knew about their feelings for each other, and if so, why there was such a wall up between them.

Takaki was woken the next morning by Ryutaro. His new bed was a definite improvement from the floor he had been sleeping on; it had a mattress, sheets, and a down comforter, instead of the lumpy mass of blankets and pillows he had grown accustomed to. The food was better too, Yamada treating the three of them—a half asleep Chinen slumped on Ryutaro’s shoulder, still in his pajamas with his hair sticking in all sorts of directions—to a breakfast of toast and fruit, crisp and cold and fresh. Yet, somehow, Takaki found himself missing the breakfasts that Daiki made, with the four of them sitting around the table, weird dreams they had with Inoo’s offhand and nearly inappropriate comments, an overly awake Yuto popping his head in to walk to work with Daiki and Yabu.

He wondered if he would see any of them today, doubting the notion as soon as it came to him. He was expecting another day of becoming familiar with the castle, more training in his duties and perhaps an introduction to Chinen’s closet. He ended up quite wrong.

“What am I supposed to wear to the agriculture meeting?” Chinen asked the question lazily, open to anyone that wanted to answer. Takaki had absolutely no idea, Ryutaro shrugging. Yamada bit into a strawberry, giving the question serious thought.

“Which one of those jackets of yours is the ‘I’m a responsible son’ one?” He asked. “You’ve skipped the past two meetings your dad invited you to. It would be good to look the part.” That was a bit of a slight in Chinen’s direction and the Prince could see that, sighing a little.

“The green one, I think.” He answered. “And yes, that would be good. Those meetings are just… They’re so boring, and there’s never any good news. And sometimes Dad gets angry.”

“Do you think Daiki would be there? It is an agriculture meeting. Maybe I could go with you.”

Ryutaro shook his head in answer to Yamada’s question. “Only the current Heads of the Royal Farmers will be there.”

Yamada didn’t seemed surprised by the answer, nodding. “I’ll hang back and make lunch then, while you three have fun.”

“…three?” Takaki echoed. “I’m going too?”

“Yes. You are to accompany me the majority of the time.” Chinen answered. “And unfortunately, this is no exception. I was going to have to introduce you to His Majesty today anyway. Don’t worry about your clothes; I had something fetched for you. It’s that outfit on the couch.”

Takaki wasn’t sure what Chinen had meant by “don’t worry” until he saw the outfit that the Prince was referring to. It was only a white shirt, brown trousers, and shoes, but it was ten times more expensive than the clothes Takaki owned; his clothing wasn’t suitable for audience with the King. He was dressing up, escorting Chinen, and meeting His Majesty today. The feared Chinen Takashi. He couldn’t say he was too excited.

Once breakfast was declared over Takaki took the outfit from Chinen's bed, thanking him for it before placing it in his own room and making Chinen's bed. He felt he did better than the day before, and Chinen backed up that idea with a nod.

"You two go get dressed, and come in when you’re finished. I should be done by then."

Ryutaro nodded, bowed, and exited, Takaki following suit.

The outfit was comfortable and a little too large, the shirt's neckline opening up a little lower than he would have liked. Ryutaro was already dressed by the time Takaki finally was able to knot his pants around his waist in a way that made him sure they weren’t going to fall down, watching the bodyguard pull a dagger from a drawer in his bedside table.

"So... Are you a knight?"

"Technically, no." Ryutaro slid the knife into his belt. "I could be considered one, I guess. All knights need to be able to do is ride a horse, follow orders, and swing a sword. I can do those things."

"I've never seen you carry a sword." Takaki told him. Ryutaro shrugged.

"I’ve been trained in the use of a sword, spear, ax, and dagger, as well as how to defend the Prince without weapons. I don't usually carry my sword within the castle."

Takaki nodded slowly, now much more intimidated of Ryutaro than he had been before, deciding to change the subject.

“I saw a drawing on your bedside table, and it looks like you and the Prince have known each other for a long time.”

Ryutaro nodded, sitting as Takaki pulled on his shoes. “The Prince is a year older than me, but we met and became friends, and that’s how my position as his bodyguard was chosen.”

“Because you were friends?” Takaki asked, surprised. Ryutaro nodded.

“The more attached you are, the less likely the chances of betrayal are, and the more likely you are to…” he shrugged. “Risk your life.”

“And you would?”

“Of course.”

The response wasn’t surprising but the immediacy of it was, Takaki’s next question slipping out before Takaki thought it through.

“You’re in love with the Prince, aren’t you?”

Ryutaro pursed his lips, glancing down before looking back up at him.

“It’s not your place to say things like that.”

Takaki didn’t believe that the bodyguard would hurt him, but after hearing all of the ways Ryutaro was able to kill him, Takaki felt it was in his best interest to keep his mouth shut. When they reentered the Prince’s room he was buttoning up his shirt, sending them a small smile, and Ryutaro glanced away from his bare midriff so quickly that Takaki almost laughed. They left soon after that, down the stairs, Chinen leading the way, Takaki and Ryutaro trailing behind. The closer they got to the throne room the more Takaki realized what was happening—that he was meeting the King—and a knot started balling up in his stomach.

When Takaki walked in the throne room the first thing he noticed was Hikaru, the magician sitting in the chair next to the throne. His face was blank of emotion, a spark of recognition flitting across his face when Takaki walked in, but that was it.

“We’re early.” Chinen remarked. “Good.”

The throne room did look rather empty; even the King himself was not yet there, just a handful of suits of armor, one stationed at every pillar in the room, and all of the chairs empty.

“My son. You’re here.”

They all turned. The King was walking in, Keito right behind him. Chinen Takashi was shorter than his son, and though it was not by much at all, it was still surprising. He had on sweeping green robes, matching in color to the shirt and pants Chinen was wearing, and after an awkward embrace the King pulled back, raising an eyebrow on Takaki’s direction.

“And who is this?”

“This is Takaki Yuya.” Chinen said, Takaki bowing as low as he could, unsure of what was appropriate. “I told you about him over dinner two days ago, remember? The man who saved me from falling down the stairs?”

The King already knew about him? Takaki straightened his back, just in time to see the man eyeing his bicolored hair in distaste.

“Yes, but if I remember correctly I never gave my permission.”

“You didn’t seem too opposed, so I took that as a yes.” Chinen gave his father a bright smile, but he didn’t smile back.

“Appointing people against my will. Again.”

“There’s nothing wrong with him. He isn’t even from around here, so you have nothing to worry about.” Chinen insisted. “Besides, nothing went wrong last time. You do admit that you like Yamada.”

“Yes, but Yamada is talented for his age. And we know the Yamada family.” The King looked Takaki up and down again, then made his way to his seat. Keito stayed on his feet, standing between the King’s chair and the magician’s, and Chinen turned to Takaki with a smile.

“That… Went well?” Takaki guessed, slightly disbelieving.

“Well, he didn’t dismiss you like I expected.” Chinen answered, Takaki blanching. “Come on, let’s sit down.”

“You didn’t tell him you were hiring me?” Takaki asked as they made their way to a bench along the right wall.

“I did tell him! Well, I told him I wanted to. And he never said no.” Chinen shrugged. “Don’t worry about it. You’ll be fine.”

As soon as they were seated, the doors opened again. Two older men walked in, tall and brown from sunlight, Takaki assuming that these were the farmers that the meeting was with. They both bowed low, first to the front of the room, then to where Chinen was seated. The double doors clanged ominously closed behind them, one guard standing in front of each, and the meeting began.


	10. Chapter 10

Takaki could see almost immediately why Chinen wasn’t fond of meetings with the King. The experience was new and exciting to Takaki at first, but he soon came to realize it was entertaining only because it was new. The farmers presented their problem—the undergrowth of crops—the King asked for the cause, which presented another problem, and it just continued. Despite the dulling subject matter, Chinen sat straight and attentive the entire time, long after Takaki’s back had begun to ache. In an attempt to distract himself Takaki looked around, observing the other people present. The King was sitting back in his chair, his knuckles pressing into his cheek, his brow furrowed as he listened intently, gesturing with everything he said. Keito was standing incredibly still, feet planted slightly apart and hands behind his back, dressed in clothing similar to Takaki’s own.

Surprisingly, the person looking most invested in the happenings was Hikaru. The magician had his elbows up on the table, fingers clasped, watching the two men in the front. He proposed a few solutions, reasonable compromises, but the King debated them all, despite not having any resolutions of his own.

“I beg your pardon, Your Majesty, but we still must consider the general public. We cannot throw a harvest feast for our friends in Mersault and Desmon without a harvest.”

“We do the feast every year, Yaotome. I don’t see why this year has to be different.”

“If we don’t start saving our supply now, we will have nothing to distribute in the winter.”

“I want to throw the feast, and if I say it’s happening, then it’s happening.”

“If we throw the feast,” Hikaru pulled his hands apart, gesturing in the King’s direction, his tone slightly sharper “Then we won’t have enough for the Prince’s birthday celebration. And we would not want that.”

“We would not want that.” The King repeated, his voice suddenly devoid of inflexion. Takaki felt immediately uneasy, glancing in Chinen’s direction. The Prince uncrossed his legs but otherwise did not seem to react, his face the same expression of polite interest. Ryutaro hadn’t moved.

“I’ll ensure that the letters canceling the feast are sent out, then." Hikaru said, his gaze moving from the man sitting to the throne as he stood up. "I will convey our apologies.”

“Pardon?” The King asked, turning to Hikaru, but the magician was already out the door. The man let out a heavy breath, waving to the subjects in front of him. “You are dismissed.”

With that, the farmers left the way they had come, the guards opening the doors for them. Chinen got to his feet, stretching and groaning.

“See? Incredibly dull.”

Takaki just nodded, wondering if Chinen had not been paying enough attention to see what Hikaru had done. Sure, the King’s idea of throwing a feast despite the lacking crops had been a bad one, but Hikaru using his magical influence to dissuade the idea made Takaki extremely uneasy.

“We should do something fun tomorrow!” Chinen said as they made their way up the stairs.

“Like what, my Prince?” Ryutaro asked. Chinen frowned thoughtfully.

“Well, Takaki doesn’t have much suitable clothing. We could go out and shop for him.”

“Does he want to?” Ryutaro asked, and Chinen turned to Takaki expectantly.

“Oh, of course, Your Grace. Thank you very much.”

“I don’t think you realize; he’ll make you carry all of his bags.” Ryutaro told him, Chinen hitting his bodyguard lightly on the arm.

“You should be happy; that used to be your job.”

“Which is why I figured he would need a warning." Ryutaro turned to Takaki again. This playfulness was a new side of Ryutaro, but when it came to the Prince, Takaki figured there was a lot about the bodyguard that he didn't know. "You might need to carry him back home, too.”

“Oh, do you take ‘shop until you drop’ literally then?” Takaki asked. Chinen gave him a strange look, laughing then shaking his head.

“No, I’m just lazy.” He said proudly.

Takaki woke up on his own the next morning, dawn barely breaking, Ryutaro still asleep. He was unsure of what to do with himself, laying there, the sun rising through the window. He heard voices coming from Chinen’s room, knocking hesitantly. Chinen opened the door curiously.

“Um, good morning.” Takaki said. Chinen responded in kind, looking past him to see the sleeping Ryutaro. He grinned.

“Yamada is making breakfast; he might appreciate the help.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Chinen stepped past him, into the room, and Takaki stepped out, looking back to see Chinen creeping up on the bed. The sleeping bodyguard was understandably confused as he was pounced on, Chinen straddling his hips with his knees, but as soon as he got his bearings of his situation he smiled. His hands fell naturally on the Prince’s thighs, and Takaki turned away. This wasn't something he was meant to see.

Yamada was frying shredded potatoes, wordlessly handing Takaki a bowl of grated cheese and chopped spring onion.

“Are you coming with us today?” Takaki asked. Yamada shook his head.

“I’m not really supposed to.” He answered. He sounded preoccupied, as though his mind was elsewhere, Takaki understanding why when he spoke again. “How do you think Daiki would take to being sent a letter?”

The question surprised him, Takaki sprinkling some of the toppings he had into the pan while he thought.

“Well, Daiki can’t read, so if you did send one either Yabu or Inoo would have to read it to him.” It was more likely to be Inoo; Yabu’s reading ability was very limited. “And Inoo likes to tease him about you.”

Yamada nodded, frowning. “I figured. I just…”

“Yamada, why don’t you tell him?” Takaki asked.

“I plan to! Every time he comes over, I plan to; I invite him all the way up here so we have more privacy than in the large, loud kitchen, but…” Yamada sighed, flipping the potatoes out on to a plate. “When he is here, all I’m thinking about is that he’s here, and that I’m happy, and… I don’t know. Then he leaves, and half of me is angry at myself for not telling him, while the other half is glad I didn’t mess anything up.”

Takaki nodded sympathetically, Yamada placing the pan down and looking at him.

“Does Daiki really think I don’t like him?”

“I think he has a suspicion, honestly.” Nobody could be _that_ clueless. “And he likes you, too. Next time he comes by, do you want me to remind you to tell him?”

“Oh.” Yamada hadn’t expected that, nodding slowly. “Sure. I guess… I guess there couldn’t be too much harm in it. Hey! Breakfast!”

The exclamations were directed towards Chinen, who exited Takaki and Ryutaro’s room soon after, tugging on the front of his pajama shirt.

“Will Stoic the Brave be joining us?” Yamada asked, his question being answered as Ryutaro appeared a moment later. Takaki got plates out, and they all ate together. The sun was high in the sky by the time they exited the castle.

“I’m glad we’re going out today.” Chinen said, sighing and stretching his arms over his head. “Yamada’s having another one of his Arioka days.”

“Arioka days?” Takaki asked. Ryutaro nodded.

“About a week or so after Arioka comes by, there's just a whole day of pining where he talks all day about how great Arioka is, considers doing something about it, and then doesn’t. I mean, I love hearing all about Arioka’s arm muscles, but still.”

Takaki had to laugh at that, the three of them stopping in front of the gate and waiting for it to be opened. Neither of the guards at the gates were Yabu, to Takaki’s disappointment, but the familiar marketplace in front of them had him hoping he might see Inoo during their expedition today.

And, thankfully, they did. They couldn’t have been out for more than an hour, if Takaki’s poor sun observing skills were anything to go by, when Inoo popped up behind a booth, all big smiles.

“Your Grace!” He exclaimed, surprised all over again when he met Takaki’s eyes. “And Takaki! What are you doing here?”

“Takaki doesn’t quite have enough clothes.” The Prince answered. Inoo nodded.

“I understand. I’ve gone shopping with him before too. If you want to make your adventure more fun, Takaki doesn’t know what’s in style. You can dress him up in anything.”

Chinen laughed. “I’ll keep that in mind.” He said, turning his attention to the racks of clothes.

“So, you have a job here now?” Takaki asked. Inoo nodded.

“It was no fun to sit around at home without you, so I went out and started working at the first place that would have me.” Inoo shrugged. “It’s only been a few days.” Then he leaned close, asking quietly “So, have you overthrown the King yet?”

Takaki’s eyes went wide, hushing Inoo as the pretty boy laughed.

“No.” he hissed. “Though, I do think you’re right about Ryutaro.”

“About how he’s hopelessly in love with the future Your Majesty?” Inoo asked, putting his hands on his hips. “I know.”

“And the Prince likes him too.”

“He does?”

“He said so.” Inoo looked disbelieving, Takaki nodding. “He was talking about it to Yamada, but I don’t think he cares about what I hear. He’s aware of Ryutaro’s feelings too.”

“Well.” Inoo glanced over to their topics of conversation. Chinen was holding a blouse up to Ryutaro and laughing, the bodyguard pulling a knit hat down over his face in retaliation. “That’s scandalous.”

“Takaki, would this fit you?” Chinen asked, extending a purple shirt in Takaki’s direction. It looked like it did, so Takaki nodded.

“Good. You’d look good in purple, I think.”

“Oh, thank you.”

Once the clothes Chinen picked out had been bought and were in Takaki’s arms, it was time to move on. Chinen and Ryutaro began to walk off, Inoo giving him a little smile and a little wave, and Takaki found he didn’t want to leave. He had missed this crossdressing vigilante more than he realized, and they hadn’t even really had the chance to talk.

“Hey, Takaki?” Ryutaro stopped, turning. Chinen turned too, surprised to see that he hadn’t moved.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Um...” Takaki glanced at Inoo again, asking “Could he come with us?”

“I...” That was a request Chinen hadn’t expected. Inoo didn’t expect it either, mouthing “what are you doing?” at him. “If he wants to, I don’t see why not.”

“Sure, I guess.” Inoo narrowed his eyebrows questioningly in Takaki’s direction before finding his boss, tapping him on the shoulder, pointing in the Prince’s direction as he spoke. The older man nodded, bowing at them, and a few moments later Inoo was walking in step with Takaki through the market.

“What was that for?” He asked. Takaki shrugged.

“I thought we could talk, maybe. Or something.”

“You’re being weird.” Inoo told him.

“You’re being weird.” Takaki shot back. “I don’t know. Shut up.”

That was a complete contradiction to what he'd said just a second before, making Inoo laugh. He smirked, bumping his shoulder against Takaki’s upper arm. “What? Is the castle not splendid enough for you? No cute serving boys to talk to over there?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Takaki asked him, and Inoo just shook his head.

“Really though, how’s life at the castle?”

“Well, the building is bigger on the inside, I swear. I haven’t been sent on any errands too far from the Prince’s room, which is a good thing, because as soon as I am I’ll never be seen again. My bed making skills have improved a little. And, the other day, I met the King.”

"Oh.” Inoo looked at him, trying to gauge how the interaction had gone by Takaki’s face. “What did our Majesty think?”

“He didn’t like my hair.” Takaki told him, Inoo bursting out laughing. “Really though, apparently Chinen didn’t have his approval before hiring me. He just... Did it.”

Inoo’s eyebrows went up his forehead, Takaki continuing.

“Apparently he’s done it before, with Yamada. Their relationship doesn’t seem... It doesn’t seem to be the best.”

“Well, I can see how it could be strained, especially if either of them knew about the prophecy.” Inoo pointed out. Takaki hadn’t thought of that. The prophecy seemed like such a secret that he couldn’t imagine anyone except Hikaru having known it. It wouldn’t be far fetched for the King to know, he supposed. The Prince seemed much less likely.

“Takaki! Which of these would be cuter on Ryutaro’s nightstand?” Chinen asked. He was holding up little carved stone figurines, one of a mouse and one of a cat. Ryutaro himself didn’t really look like he wanted a figurine on his nightstand, but that didn't seem to matter.

“Well, Your Grace, with all due respect...” Inoo pointed to the mouse. “That one does kind of look like you.”

“Really?” Chinen looked it over.

“Mice are small and cute, are they not?”

Chinen laughed, nodding, paying for the item and placing it in Ryutaro’s hands. A rather disgruntled Ryutaro, who shot Inoo a look before they continued walking.

“Doesn’t he get mad when you do that?” Takaki asked. Inoo was grinning.

“Yep.”

Takaki chuckled a little, shaking his head.

Unlike when they walked through the castle, the reception Chinen received wasn’t overwhelmingly positive. Everyone was polite, of course, but the base line of formality was where the courtesy ended. It was unnerving, Takaki had to admit, and if Chinen noticed it, he gave no indication that Takaki could see.

“Oh, look.” Chinen pointed to the sky. “It’s one of my father’s ravens, with a letter. Who is he writing to, I wonder?”

It didn’t take much looking to spot the bird, a spot of black against the blue sky. It wasn’t flying out, and to the horizon, however; it landed on a fruit-seller’s roof, screeching demandingly. The man fed it some berries, untying the letter as the bird ate, flying away again before he had even opened it.

“What...?” Chinen looked more than confused, by the transaction. “My father would not write to--”

“More news!” The vendor shouted out, getting the attention of any that had not already heard the bird. Now the entire square was silent, listening, watching as he unfolded the letter and read it aloud.

“Food still a problem; a problem the King does not care to fix. Had to be talked out of hosting a feast for the royals, but only so the Prince could have a proper birthday celebration.”

"Shit.” Inoo muttered, grumbles going through the people all around them. “We need to get out of here.”

“We do?” Takaki asked. The crowd was murmuring, pointing, looking around.

“This is how the riots start.” Inoo said. “And this time, the object of their anger is within arm’s reach.”

That was when all eyes found Chinen. There was a shout, and then hell broke loose.

“Where do we go?” Takaki shouted to Inoo, realizing their normal way of escape was blocked. They were being run at, and Takaki felt that the trampling they were about to receive was not going to be the worst of it. He was afraid for Chinen’s life.

“Um... Follow me!”

Inoo took off running, taking his hand as he did, Takaki grabbing the Prince by the arm and pulling him in that direction. They had only gone a few steps before Chinen was yanked from his grasp, and Takaki glancing back, terrified for a moment before realizing that it was just Ryutaro scooping Chinen up off of his feet. Shouts grew louder as people realized they were trying to run, turning into curses, Inoo ducking and dodging the groping, angry hands. There was no curt courtesy on these faces now; all Chinen's status gave him was a target on the back.


	11. Chapter 11

Somehow, Inoo managed to lead them through the crowd. As soon as the angry sounds were behind them Takaki finally let out a breath, a loud long sigh, but they didn’t slow down. Inoo continued to run, leading them through streets and past buildings that Takaki had never seen. He was out of breath by the time Inoo finally slowed down, putting eight blocks between themselves and Commoner’s Square.

“Is... Is everyone okay?” Inoo asked. The responses were slow and affirmative, but Takaki noticed a jagged scratch on Ryutaro’s cheek.

“You alright?” He asked, the bodyguard simply nodding. He didn’t seem nearly as exhausted as Takaki felt, and had not yet put Chinen down, making it easy for the Prince to examine his face.

“Oh no.” He murmured, reaching up, stopping just short of actually touching the injury. They were fingernail marks, but they weren’t bleeding, just red and raised in irritation. “What was that back there? With the letter and everything... What happened?”

“Do you not know?” Inoo straightened up, taking a deep breath. “I figured His Majesty would have told you something about what’s happening. Food supply has been thinning out due to the lack of rain, and the King isn’t helping out too much. People are worried, and I’m sure you know how easily irritated people can be when they’re hungry.”

Chinen nodded, his expression turning into a contemplative frown.

“That thing about the feast though; that happened just yesterday. My dad... He hasn’t told anyone.”

Inoo nodded back, shrugging.

“Thank you for getting us out of that.” Ryutaro said to Inoo, finally putting the Prince down. “We seemed closed in; how did you know where to go?”

“Oh, yeah.” Inoo waved a hand. “I have plenty of experience with running--” He stopped himself, pausing for a moment, as though he realized who exactly it was he was talking to. “With running. I run. Just... Around. It’s something I enjoy.”

Takaki bit the inside of his cheek, trying to keep himself from smiling in amusement, but the sharp look he got from Inoo told him he wasn’t succeeding.

“Anyway, you should probably go back to the castle, Your Grace.” Inoo said. “For safety. I would walk up that way,” he pointed straight ahead, down an alley of buildings, “until you get to the gate, then walk along it to the front. There are guards all along the gate if you need them.”

“Thank you, Inoo Kei. You have my gratitude, as well as my word for a favor, if there is anything you require.”

Inoo bowed, understanding the unspoken dismissal. He turned to Takaki, giving him a quick, one armed hug, his voice quiet as he said goodbye.

“And I miss you too, a little bit.”

“Hey, I never said--”

Inoo winked at him, walking behind a building and out of sight. Takaki couldn’t help but smile a little to himself, shaking his head.

“Well.” Chinen said, sighing, stretching his arms over his head as they began to walk back. “We didn’t really get to shop much.”

“No, not really.” Ryutaro’s voice was dry.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

He brushed off the Prince’s concern.

“It’s nothing. I was doing my job. I’m glad you’re alright.”

Chinen glanced up at him, giving him a little smile. There were still shouts in the background, but neither Chinen nor Ryutaro looked back, so Takaki didn’t either, just hoping that Inoo was okay through all of it. They entered Takaki and Ryutaro’s room, Chinen placing the little stone mouse on Ryutaro’s bedside table himself as Takaki but his new clothes away. Yamada was in the middle of making something when they entered the room, and he barely had time to ask how their trip had been before Chinen began telling him.

“We hadn’t been out for very long, buying clothes, when Takaki’s friend Inoo…”

Yamada frowned when he heard the part about the raven and the letter, but didn’t have any time to comment because as soon as he had finished telling the story, there was a knock on the door.

“Yes?”

Keito stuck his head in the door, his voice soft.

“The King requests your presence, Your Grace. All of you, except chef Yamada.”

Then he bowed and retreated, Chinen heaving a sigh as he got to his feet.

“That’ll probably be about the riot.” He said. “He knows I was out there today.”

The scratches on Ryutaro’s face had faded into pink lines by the time Chinen came to a stop in front of a large wooden door. They had climbed up two sets of steps, into an area of the castle Takaki had not yet been to. It was more extravagant; there were more paintings on the walls, and rugs all along the floor. This door was at the end of the hallway, Chinen squaring his shoulders before he knocked.

The door was opened a second later, revealing a spacious study room, the King sitting at the end of a large table. He looked up, then stood, Keito closing the door behind them. Chinen took a small sidestep towards Ryutaro as the King began to approach.

“Are you hurt?” The man asked.

“No, Father.”

“Good. However, Yuri, until this entire issue blows over I forbid you from leaving the castle without an escort party.”

“Escort party?” Chinen opened his mouth in indignation. “I can’t just walk around the streets with a dozen swordsmen around me.”

“You can, and you will.”

“Ryutaro did a perfectly fine job—”

“I am not doubting Ryutaro’s competence.” The King said, voice short and clipped. “This is not up for debate.”

Chinen pursed his lips, nodding and glancing at his feet. Takaki saw his jaw working, but he didn’t answer.

“Now, I am going to have to take your new serving boy in for questioning.”

A lump of fear dropped into Takaki’s stomach, along with confusion as to why, what the King could possibly need to ask him.

“No.” Chinen said quickly. “Father, he’s done nothing wrong.”

“Yuri, we know nothing about him. I need to ask him some questions.”

“That doesn’t make any sense. He was with me the whole time. There’s nothing he could have done.”

“Yuri—”

“I won’t let you.” Chinen said, the fierceness in his tone surprising him. “We’re leaving.”

“I have not dismissed you.”

“I’m dismissing myself.” Chinen turned on his heel, Takaki feeling he should leave with him, but unsure if doing so would be safe. Ryutaro gave the King a quick bow before turning and following the Prince out, and since Takaki didn’t want to be questioned, he did the same.

“Are you alright, Your Grace?” Ryutaro asked, Chinen hurrying down the stairs. He paused, the look he threw his bodyguard making the answer obvious.

“He limits my freedom, then questions my friends, and… I don’t know.” Chinen sighed, looking at his feet. “I thought that maybe, he would be more worried about me.”

“He was worried.” Ryutaro said. “That’s why he’s insisting on those guards, Chinen.”

“That wasn’t his primary reason of calling me to his office though. It was Takaki.”

Takaki wondered briefly if he should apologize--he wasn’t sure for what, but an apology felt right--but by then they had reached Chinen’s bedroom door, the little Prince throwing it open and landing face first on the couch in front of him.

“I made some melon rolls.” Yamada said, nodding to Takaki and Ryutaro in greeting. “Would those help?”

Chinen extended his arm wordlessly, fingers outstretched, and Yamada put the food in his hand.

“What happened?”

“My dad doesn’t trust Takaki.”

“Your dad doesn’t trust anyone.” Yamada answered. Takaki raised his eyebrows in surprise; he had never heard anyone refer to the King so informally. Chinen made a noncommittal noise, sitting up.

“I don’t want to talk about this. What about you, Yamada? How are you doing?”

“Me?” Yamada asked. “What do you mean?”

“It’s Arioka day.” Ryutaro deadpanned, and Yamada shook his head immediately.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m fine.”

Chinen made a face at Yamada, one Takaki wouldn’t have thought he was capable of making, the chef laughing at him a little before giving in.

“I might have been thinking about him a little.”

“Those biceps?” Chinen asked, his tone sympathetic, Ryutaro snorting back a laugh.

“…maybe.”

Chinen grinned, pulling his knees up to his chest and taking a bite of his melon bread.

“Those biceps, and that tanned skin, and that dark black hair…”

“Stop.” Yamada said, but Chinen was enjoying the teasing too much. “It’s not _just_ his biceps. Talking to him makes me happy too.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Chinen said, waving an arm. “That’s not fun to talk about though.” Thankfully, the Prince seemed much less upset than he had before, Takaki glancing over and seeing Ryutaro smiling a little.

“You just need to kiss him right on the face.” Chinen told Yamada, who raised an eyebrow.

“On the face?”

“Yeah! I mean, he might not get the message with just words. If you say something sappy like ‘I want you to stay by my side’, he’ll just think you want him to keep bringing you produce.”

That made Yamada laugh. “But really? On the face?”

“If you don’t want to go for the lips. You could kiss him here, or here, or there…” Chinen turned to Ryutaro next to him, gently touching his forehead, nose, and cheek in turn. Both Ryutaro and Yamada’s faces were tinted pink, and Takaki had to laugh a little.

“What?” Chinen asked him.

“It’s just funny, to think of Daiki hearing you all talking about him like this. Don’t worry, I won’t tell him—” he said, noticing the suddenly scared expression on Yamada’s face “—unless you want me to.”

“No, no.” Yamada said quickly, laughing.

“Besides, Takaki shouldn’t be the one sneaking out at night to talk to Arioka.” Ryutaro pointed out, glancing to Yamada. “It should be you.”

Chinen began to giggle, Takaki laughing too. Daiki, he came to find, was a very common topic of conversation among Yamada and Chinen. It was always fun though, because Chinen liked to tease, and Yamada was surprisingly honest. Takaki’s thought was always about what Daiki would think If he knew how cute Yamada thought he was.

“Okay, but how would you confess to him?”

It was very late at night, from what Takaki could tell, and the four of them were in Chinen’s room in their pajamas. The whole thing had a slumber party feeling to it, with a plate of fruit and a bowl of popped corn on the floor between Ryutaro and Yamada.

“I… I don’t know.” Yamada said, shrugging.

“You’ve got to do something fancy. But straightforward.”

“I do?”

“Oh! You could make a joke.”

“Chinen…” Yamada laughed, shaking his head.

“He’ll bring you some more strawberries, and you can bite into one and say how sweet it is.”

“…where is this going?” Takaki asked hesitantly.

“He’ll say ‘oh, is it really? I haven’t tried them yet’, and then you’ll ask if he wants a taste, and he’ll say ‘if you insist’, and then…”

“Stop being weird.” Yamada said, tossing the last piece of popcorn in Chinen’s direction. Chinen just laughed, frowning at the empty bowl.

“Do we have any more snacks?” He asked. Yamada nodded, pushing himself up off the floor, then stopped to shake his head a moment later.

“Which is it?” Ryutaro asked.

“Well, I thought we did, but now that I think of it…” Yamada walked into the kitchen, his voice coming to them a little softer around the corner. “We are running a little low on stuff. Unless you want an apple or something, someone’s going to have to take a trip down to the kitchens.”

“I can do it.” Ryutaro said immediately, getting to his feet. “What would you like?”

“No, I should go.” Takaki told him. This was his job, after all.

Chinen said what he wanted, Takaki and Ryutaro leaving the room together. The castle was ominous in the dark, only a few of the torches on the wall lit, just enough light for Takaki to see a few steps in front of him at a time.

The throne room was glowing though, the double doors cracked open, and as soon as Takaki noticed the thin stream of light coming into the hallway Ryutaro put an arm out, stopping him.

“What?” Takaki asked.

Ryutaro was completely still, his index finger coming in front of his lips, his other hand moving to the dagger on his belt. And then Takaki heard what he had paused for. There were voices coming from the throne room, two hushed male voices. Ryutaro crept past him, approaching the door. Takaki followed, curious, realizing that he recognized one of the voices before looking in.

“It’s been a while, I know.” It was Yuto and Keito, alone in the throne room.

“It’s alright, you’re here now.”

Yuto chuckled, pulling Keito in for a hug.

“He snuck in again.” Ryutaro whispered, sounding surprised. “I have no idea how he does it.”

“Oh wait Keito, I forgot to close the door.”

Both Takaki and Ryutaro jumped back as Yuto turned in their direction, Ryutaro pulling Takaki into the shadows. Yuto didn’t look around though, the sound of the large pieces of wood coming to a close echoing up the empty staircase.

“You said again.” Takaki said as they continued their walk to the kitchens. “How often is Yuto here?”

“I don’t know.” Ryutaro answered, sounding unconcerned. “More often than I could tell you, probably. He meets up with Keito, but I don’t know what they do in there.”

Takaki remembered the night he and Inoo found Yuto walking to the castle at night, with his reluctance to tell them where he was going or what he was doing. He had been exhausted the next day from lack of sleep; it must have been from this. From sneaking into the castle. Takaki wanted to try and peek into the throne room, but Ryutaro discouraged it, pointing out how impossible it would be to open the throne room doors without them knowing.

“Besides,” he said. “Maybe we don’t want to find out what they’re up to.”

He did have a point, and after searching through the quiet kitchens for the snacks the Prince had asked for, they made their way back up the stairs. The throne room was silent as they passed it, and if not for knowing that someone was inside, Takaki wouldn’t have given it a second thought.

Takaki ended up having to make multiple trips to the kitchens for the next few days, the supply upstairs becoming incredibly sparse. He guessed that had to mean that Daiki would be stopping by soon, and while he was looking forward to seeing the short farmer, he more found himself hoping Daiki would bring Inoo with him.

Though Takaki felt more or less adjusted to life in the castle by now, he would still find himself wondering on a daily basis what Inoo was up to, or what random, out of the blue remarks he would have to make that day. Takaki would run into Yabu occasionally, the knight always giving him a grin and saying “Oh, and Inoo says hi” before they parted ways.


	12. Chapter 12

Takaki was making the Prince’s bed when there was a knock on the door. He and Yamada were the only two in the room, so after a hesitant moment, Takaki answered it.  
It was a child, unlikely to be older than eight years old, wearing simple clothes with his hair tied back away from his face.

“Please tell chef Yamada that food will be delivered today at noon.”

After Takaki nodding and saying he would, the kid bowed and was gone. Takaki turned to the royal chef, calling out as he went.

“Hey, Yamada—”

“I heard.” Yamada said from the kitchen. He was cleaning up, placing empty containers in bags and washing countertops. He looked nervous, his actions hurried and unnecessary, and it took Takaki a moment to remember why.

“Oh, you’re going to confess to him this time, aren’t you?”

“I guess?” Despite how sure he had been, Yamada looked reluctant now. “Could you take this out to the trash? It’s near the kitchens, behind the stables.”

He put a bag into Takaki’s hands, pulling out his knives and a sharpening block. When Takaki came back so had Chinen and Ryutaro, the two of them sitting on Chinen’s bed.

“He’s going to tell him.” Chinen said happily, tucking his legs under himself. “He’s going to tell Daiki.”

“But what should I say?” Yamada asked. He looked extremely unsure, sitting on Chinen’s couch with his eyes on the floor. He was having second thoughts, the severity of his cold feet reminding Takaki of a wedding gone wrong.

“You could use my strawberry scenario.” Chinen suggested. Ryutaro laughed out loud, Yamada giving him a look.

“Are you serious?”

“Just say the first part? Please? Just the first sentence.” Chinen begged. “I want to know if he would respond the way I said he would. That's all.”

Yamada opened his mouth to respond--to protest, most likely--when there was a knock on the door. They all sat in silence for a moment, knowing exactly who it was.

“Should I get that?” Takaki asked, pointing his thumb towards the door, but before he’d had time to finish his question Yamada was on his feet, pulling the door open.

“Hi.” he said, Daiki beaming back at him.

“Arioka! And you brought Inoo!” Chinen exclaimed happily.

“He did?” Takaki asked hopefully, peeking around the door. And sure enough Inoo was there, making a strained face due to the boxes he was holding. When he saw Takaki he smiled, and Takaki walked forward when they came in, taking the produce from Inoo’s arms.

“Why thank you, my strong champion.” Inoo said, rubbing his arms, making Takaki smile. Takaki put the box down in the kitchen for Yamada, and when he walked back into the bedroom Inoo wrapped him quickly in a hug, leaning against Takaki’s shoulder while Yamada and Daiki unpacked the food. It was a nice feeling, simply having the warmth and the body weight there next to him.

“Yamada!” Chinen called out once about half of the produce had been unpacked. Takaki held in a grin.

“Yes, Your Grace?” Yamada asked, poking his head around the corner. He was beaming, Chinen smiling back at him.

“Did Arioka bring any strawberries this time?”

Yamada turned pink, Daiki answering the question for him.

“I did Your Grace; would you like one?”

“Have you tried one yet Arioka? Are they good?”

“I don’t know, Your Grace.” It was evident that Chinen had never asked something like this before, Daiki hesitant and unsure, and the pointed look on Ryutaro’s face was not ignored, Yamada stuttering out

“I’m… I’ll try one.”

Daiki glanced in Yamada’s direction, looking a little concerned by the nerves in his voice, the worry turning into a smile as Yamada bit into the strawberry, obviously pleased by how it tasted.

“It’s sweet!”

“Oh, is it really? I haven't tried them yet.”

Takaki bit the inside of his lips hard to stop him from laughing, Chinen’s eyebrows shooting up his forehead. Word for word, that was exactly what Chinen told them Daiki would say, with the same tone of voice as well. Yamada continued hesitantly.

“Would you like to try it?” He offered, extending the strawberry towards Daiki’s mouth. Daiki glanced at him, a small grin on his face.

“If you insist...”  
Takaki coughed back a laugh. Chinen had been spot on, but the script ended here though, and it was up to Yamada to now—hopefully—confess his feelings.

Yamada was taking all of Chinen’s suggestions to heart, it seemed, because as Daiki stepped closer to take a bite of the piece of fruit in Yamada’s hand the chef lowered his arm, taking a quick step in Daiki’s direction and closing the gap between them.

Inoo let out a loud, audible gasp from Takaki’s left, and Chinen was beaming. Daiki’s hand found Yamada’s bicep, his touch trailing lightly down his arm, leaning forward a little to prolong the contact as Yamada pulled away. He looked completely dazed, Yamada smiling hesitantly at him.

“I like you, Daiki.”

“Y-you…?”

“I thought it was about time to tell you.”

“Wait, I—”  
Daiki was completely lost, both confused and stunned, seemingly unable to form full sentences. Takaki couldn't stop smiling.

“You don’t have to say anything now, if you don’t want to, but…”

“I’m not sure that he can.” Ryutaro remarked, making Inoo laugh a little.

“I…” Daiki looked away, trying again at speech. “I didn’t think… You’re a chef, for the Prince, and you live in the castle, and I—”

“I don’t care.” Yamada said insistently, the words coming out slightly harsher than he seemed to have intended. He noticed his tone, pulling back slightly and casting his gaze to his feet. “That doesn’t matter to me. Honestly, why do you think I always asked for stuff just from you?”

That made Daiki laugh a little, glancing at his feet. Yamada did the same, an embarrassed smile on his face.

“Oh, they’re precious.” Inoo said, voice hushed. “They’re so disgustingly precious that I can’t stop looking at it.”

Inoo’s voice seemed to pull their focus from each other, Daiki suddenly fidgeting.

“I should probably go, I’ve overstayed my—”

“Oh, okay, right.” Yamada’s smile tightened a little, following Daiki as he turned away, walking towards the door. Inoo managed to exit first, sliding his hand into Takaki's and giving it a light squeeze before slipping out the door. He stood impatiently behind Daiki as the farmer attempted to come up with a farewell remark for Yamada, who was stepping from foot to foot.

“Oh, just kiss him again, everyone knows you want to.” Inoo said. Much to Takaki’s surprise Daiki did, this kiss a little closer, a little longer than the one before it, Daiki beaming as he pulled away and said goodbye, Inoo managing to catch Takaki's eyes, blow a kiss, and wave before the door closed.

“I would say I told you so…” Chinen began, but it was evident that Yamada was not listening, a smile growing on his face as he let out a long sigh, leaning against the wood of the door.

“Congratulations.” Takaki decided to say, but Yamada was hopelessly in his own world, taking another bite of the strawberry he still had in his hand before walking into his kitchen.

Daiki and Yamada was the only thing any of them could talk about for the next few days, the cuteness of it all increasing exponentially when Yuto, much to Takaki’s surprise, arrived at Chinen’s door a few days later.

“I have a letter for chef Yamada." He announced before the door fully opened, his mouth opening in surprise when he saw who it was that answered it. "Oh, hi Takaki! I heard you moved in here—how’s it going?”

“Oh, fine.” It hadn’t been that long since Takaki had seen Yuto—not that the messenger knew that. “Who’s the letter from?”

“Yabu told me it was from Daiki, but he can’t read or write, so I’m not sure how.”

“Daiki?” Chinen asked, surprised. The name of his romantic interest had Yamada in the room at once, wiping his hands on his apron front and reaching out for the paper in Yuto’s hands. He unfolded it and the three of them—Takaki, Chinen, and Yuto himself—crowded around to see what it said. The writing was incredibly infantile, somehow making all of it cuter.

_ Ryosuke,  
_ _ I want to learn the written word, since we don’t see each other often, but Inoo is a very bad teacher. I realized that I didn’t properly respond to your confession, but in case the answer wasn’t properly conveyed: I like you too. Very much.  
_ _ \--Daiki_

“I want a hot boyfriend that writes me cute letters too.” Chinen lamented once Yuto had left. “I want Ryutaro to write me a cute letter.”

Ryutaro himself was somewhere else; he was out of the room by the time Takaki had woken that morning, Yamada waving a hand and saying something about “customary defense training” when Takaki had asked.

“Then ask him to.” Yamada responded rather mindlessly, looking over the piece of parchment and beaming. Chinen frowned.

“I’m sorry.” was all Takaki could think to say and Chinen sighed, falling backwards on to the bed.

“I just love him so much.” Chinen told him. “I just… Why do I have to be the king? It messes everything up.”

Takaki didn’t know what to say, but thankfully he didn’t have to say anything, Chinen sitting up a moment later.

“He’s probably done with training by now. Hopefully. I’m going to go find him.”

Then Chinen was gone before Takaki had time to wonder whether or not that was a good idea, the sound of the door closing bringing Yamada back.

“Was that Chinen?” He asked. “Where did he go?”

“To find Ryutaro.” Takaki answered. Yamada groaned.

“Not again.” he said. “Come here, there’s something I’ve been meaning to show you how to make. And by the look of things, we’re probably going to need them.”

Yamada walked to the kitchen, Takaki following behind, a little worried. He wasn’t good at cooking, telling Yamada so, but the chef assured him that the dumplings that they were making wouldn’t be too complex. Despite that Yamada took control of most of what they were doing, Takaki doing a lot of watching, unsure of how much information his brain was really absorbing. They were making Chinen's favorite comfort food, something that apparently everyone close to the Prince knew how to make already.

"Alright, next you cut the spring onion into tiny pieces. The onions are in that drawer; get one while I wash the knife and cutting board."

Nodding, Takaki did as he was told. There was a surprising amount of ingredients, and though Yamada kept telling him that a lot of them were optional, Takaki wasn’t sure that the Prince would agree. He opened the drawer, trying to guess which of the different onions was the one of the "spring" variety when the door opened. It was Chinen and Ryutaro; Ryutaro entered the room backwards, attention completely fixed on the Prince, who was smiling playfully at him.

“None of the knights in training were a match for you, my champion.” Chinen said. He had on his mock graciousness voice, the overly princely tone he only used when he was trying to be funny. “But of course, I knew that. You protected me well in that crowd."

"Of course, Your Grace." Though Takaki couldn't see Ryutaro's face, it was obvious that the bodyguard found him amusing by the affectionate tone his voice held when he spoke. He knelt, taking the Prince's left hand in both of his and kissing the knuckles. "Your well being has been my priority since birth, and will be forever."

Chinen opened his mouth, looking to say something, then stopping. His mood picked up when he spoke again.

"But you lifted me up so easily; I was surprised."

"Surprised?" Ryutaro got quickly to his feet, and as he did so he put his hands on Chinen's hips, lifting him up too. The Prince laughed in surprise, his hands automatically finding Ryutaro's shoulders, legs wrapping around his waist. "I could pick up one hundred of you easily."

That made Chinen laugh again, a tug on the back of Takaki’s shirt distracting him from the moment. It was Yamada, yanking him behind the kitchen wall and out of sight. The chef was frowning, and Takaki wondered immediately if he had witnessed something he shouldn't have seen.

"They're going to fight soon; you won't want to be watching. You won’t want to be noticed, either. I’ve learned that the hard way.”

"They're going to...what?" Takaki didn't see how the current romantic mood could turn sour, realization crossing Yamada’s face.

"Oh, right; you don't know, do you? Here. You might as well find out now." There was a small opening in the wall, an area to move platters in and out between the kitchen and the Prince's room. Takaki had never seen it used before, Yamada opening it now, gesturing for Takaki to look through. It felt like peeping instead of unintended observation, but Takaki's curiosity got the better of him and he gave in, completely unprepared for what he saw.

Chinen's legs were still around Ryutaro's waist, his arms around his neck, and Ryutaro was holding him safely, securely, and they were kissing.

Takaki’s mouth fell open and he tried to show Yamada, completely surprised, but by the way Yamada waved his hand and didn't even glance at him had Takaki realizing that this was old news. The Prince and his bodyguard kissing had happened before, enough times for it to no longer be a surprise.

Chinen's entire body was pressed close, his hands on the sides of Ryutaro's face. Ryutaro's grip had moved from Chinen's hips to under his thighs, taking a step backwards towards the bed. Takaki began to wonder if "they're going to fight soon" had been some sort of insinuation Yamada had wanted him to pick up on.

Chinen's lips moved from Ryutaro's lips to his neck, his hands moving from his face to the top button on his shirt.

"No, no." Ryutaro's second refusal was stronger than his first, breathless one, and Chinen paused.

"Ryu--"

"We can't. We can't do this, and you know it." Ryutaro lifted Chinen's body off of his own, placing his feet gently on the floor.

"But why not?" Chinen's expression was distraught. "I love you, and I know that you love me too."

This was the argument Yamada had meant, Ryutaro not meeting Chinen's eyes.

"We keep trying to fight this, but it isn't working. Don't act like this is the first, second, or fifth time you've kissed me. Or that I've kissed you. Ryutaro, please."

"Yuri, no. You're the Prince, and you're going to be the King. You're going to take a Queen--"

"I don't want a Queen."

"--and produce an heir. My feelings aren't important when it comes to the security of your future."

"What about my feelings?"

Ryutaro closed his eyes, expression pained. "Please, don't. If we give in, it'll be that much harder to stop, and I don't want to hurt you."

"But I want you to hurt me." Chinen said, reaching towards him. Ryutaro stopped his hand, grabbing him by the wrist and replacing his arm by his side.

"Do you want to hurt me?"

Chinen looked at his feet, biting his bottom lip, voice quiet. "No."

Ryutaro stepped around him, opening the side door and exiting the room.

“Yamada?” Chinen asked hesitantly. “Takaki? You two are back there, aren’t you?”

“…yes.” Yamada said slowly, Chinen appearing in the kitchen a moment later.

“We made your favorite.” Takaki said, giving Chinen a smile. The Prince gave a small smile back, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

“Well, at least I have the best friends in the world.” He said with a sigh, walking back to his room and slumping on the couch, Takaki getting out a plate for him.

“I’m sorry, Chinen, but Ryutaro is right.” Yamada said. “He is looking out for your best interest. Don’t take that to mean he doesn’t love you, because he does; that’s why he’s doing it.”

“Aren’t bodyguards supposed to follow orders though?” Chinen asked, sighing, putting his face in his hands.

“Well, do you want to order him to kiss you?” Yamada asked, hands on his hips. Chinen shook his head.

“No. You’re right, I know, but… Why do I have to be the King? This isn’t fair.”

“You might not have to.” Yamada spoke hesitantly, Takaki sending him a questioning look.

“What do you mean?”  
Both of them fell silent, Yamada sounding unsure whether or not he should speak when he opened his mouth again.

“There’s this prophecy, one that was foretold on Chinen’s father’s coronation.”

“Yeah, it sort of ruined the whole night.” Chinen said, laughing dryly. “The short of it, though, is that my father will be dethroned. And that I’m going to kill him.” Yamada set the food down in front of Chinen, but the Prince didn’t really look hungry anymore. “It’s not going to come true though, Yamada. I can’t kill my own father. I love him.”

Takaki was surprised that the Prince knew about the prophecy. He simply assumed he wouldn’t—Hikaru knowing made sense, thanks to his status as a magician—Takaki wasn't even sure the King would know. That did explain the paranoia though, and the gap between Chinen and his father.

“What’s the prophecy about?” he asked hesitantly. Yamada glanced at Chinen, looking unsure, but Chinen didn’t seem concerned about telling Takaki.

“Well, I don’t remember it too clearly. It was a while ago.” He said. “But… It talked about how my father wasn’t supposed to be King. Some ‘light bringer’ or something is supposed to show who is meant to rule, and in the process my dad is supposed to die. By my own hands.”

“But you don’t think it’s going to come true?” Takaki asked.

“I don’t think it's possible.” Chinen answered. “I’m not going to kill him, so how can it? I would completely leave the realm before I let that happen.”

“I honestly think it could happen.” Yamada said, glancing in Chinen’s direction. “I mean, if the people aren’t happy, then the ruler is bound to be changed. And you two got caught up in a riot yesterday.”

“Who would the true King be though?” Chinen asked. “There are no living descendants of the rulers of before, so really, everyone has equal fairness, don’t they? What would make someone the ‘true’ King?”

Chinen did have a point; Inoo had told him that both the King and the King’s Hand had been killed by a sweeping illness, and that the throne had been passed down to Chinen’s father when they died. If anything, because of the bequeathal, Chinen Takashi ought to be the ruler.

“Either way, it doesn’t matter.” Chinen said, tone defeated. “Either I kill my dad, become dethroned, and get hanged for murder, or I become King, marry some rich woman, and have Ryutaro standing by my shoulder my whole life, unable to do anything about it.”

Yamada gave him a sympathetic smile, and Takaki got the feeling that this conversation had happened before, and that this conclusion had been reached before. Thanks to that, though, nothing Takaki or Yamada said really helped cheer him up. Ryutaro didn’t come back either, but Takaki couldn’t tell if that was a good thing, or if Ryutaro’s presence would have helped.


	13. Chapter 13

It was late at night by the time they all finally went to bed, and when Takaki entered the room Ryutaro was in bed, asleep. Takaki got in bed as quietly as he could, slipping under the covers. He hadn’t thought Chinen and Ryutaro’s feelings for each other were so out in the open, so just below the surface. And though Ryutaro was younger and in a lower position, he seemed to have more control over their relationship than Chinen did. Or, at least, more control over himself. Takaki was sure that Chinen would rather just ignore the future, unlike how Ryutaro was handling it, and honestly he wasn’t sure which was better—freely falling head over heels for each other while they had the chance, or to unsuccessfully fight their feelings the way they were doing now.

There was a small knock on the door, quiet and near his head, breaking through the sleepy haze settling over him.

“Takaki?” It was Chinen’s voice, soft and hesitant, Takaki sitting up and reaching over to crack the door open a little.

“Your Grace?”

“Could you get me an extra pillow? There are some in Ryutaro’s wardrobe. He wouldn’t mind just one.”

Takaki didn’t feel too comfortable digging around in someone else’s stuff, especially someone that could probably kill him in eighteen different ways, but the bodyguard was asleep, and it was per the Prince’s request.

“Of course.”

“Thanks.”

Takaki got up, stumbling and feeling around until he found the wardrobe on Ryutaro’s side of the room. He thought he could just reach in and find a pillow, but when he ended up unfolding an entire comforter instead of pulling out the pillow he thought he was holding, he wished he had a candle in his room. He nearly went into Chinen’s room to ask for one when he remembered that he had his cell phone in his beside table, the device having maintained some charge since it had been turned off.

He picked it up, turned it on, and turned on the flashlight feature. It was strange and out of place to see such an artificial light, and Takaki found that he didn’t like it. It made it much easier to find a pillow though, throwing it on the bed. He quickly refolded the comforter, making sure the wardrobe looked in order before closing it. Then he turned his phone back off, put it away, and knocked lightly on Chinen’s door.

There was a short candle lit in the Prince’s bedroom, casting long shadows into Takaki’s bedroom. He thanked Takaki quietly as the pillow was passed to his hands, wishing him a good night as he squeezed the cushion to his chest. In the candle light, as the door closed, Takaki thought he saw Ryutaro shift in his sleep.

The next morning, Takaki was woken up by his bedroom door bursting open. The wood slammed against Ryutaro’s bedside table, the loud crash making him jump, panic at the loud noise catching in his throat. He sat up fast, squinting his eyes open as he turned in the direction of the noise. Two guards stomped in, legs heavy and armor clanking, marching straight towards him. Takaki looked to the doorway, able to see Ryutaro and the King standing there, the King’s arm crossed and face set. Ryutaro’s expression was blank.

The guards grabbed him by the arms, yanking him roughly from his bed. He didn’t have enough time to find his footing, stumbling to his knees before he was pulled to his feet, sharp pains shooting through his shoulders.

“Takaki Yuya, you are under arrest and sentenced to death for high treason against the King Chinen Takashi.”

Takaki shot a wide-eyed, questioning look at Ryutaro but the bodyguard simply looked back, offering no explanation as Takaki was dragged away.

He was taken down three sets of long stone staircases, deep into the bowels of the castle. At the top of the last staircase one of the guards lit a candle, and it was a good thing that he did, because once they had reached the bottom it was completely dark, Takaki barely able to see in front of his face. He let himself get pulled along and pushed into a jail cell, too bewildered to react, the iron bars slamming shut, the light fading away as the guards left.

It took some time of him just sitting there in the darkness to try to wrap his mind around what was happening. He was in jail. He had been imprisoned, sentenced to death with no explanation other than “high treason”. What had he done?

The prophecy, he realized. Someone must have told. Someone had told, or he had let on that he something the night Yamada and Chinen had been talking about it. It didn’t seem like the second option was the case, though; Yamada had openly said that he thought the prophecy would come true, and as far as Takaki could tell, Yamada wasn’t here with him. Someone had told on him.

But who could it have been? Hikaru, Inoo, and Yabu were the only people that thought Takaki was involved with the prophecy, and the most logical person Takaki could pin it on was Hikaru, but even that did not make much sense. Hikaru was the one that summoned him. Hikaru had come to him for help with the prophecy. He had said that failure to carry it out would result in the death of any magically inclined, and discovering him just to turn him in went against self preservation.

Unless that part of it wasn’t true. There was nothing in the prophecy about mages dying, and it was the only thing about the whole situation that Yabu hadn’t known. None of this had occurred to Takaki before, and it made an unease settle in his stomach. He didn’t want to believe it. He liked Hikaru.

Takaki assumed he’d been stuffed in a dungeon, as cartoonish as that was. It was unbelievably dark, the only way he was able to tell if his eyes were closed or open was the feeling of moving his eyelids. It wasn’t silent though; there were sniffs, coughs, and shuffles of movement in the darkness, but nobody spoke.

Takaki didn’t know how long he sat there, staring at nothing, feeling himself grow hungrier as time passed. He was in a state of suspended disbelief, completely unsure of what to do with himself. He could get up, or walk around, but there wasn’t a reason to. A small flicker of light appeared, far off to his right, growing brighter as it got closer. Squinting, Takaki was able to identify a row of guards, each with a torch in one hand and a tray in the other. There was a stop, a jangle of keys, and Takaki could smell food.

When a guard came to his cell, his eyes were accustomed enough to the small light to avoid being blinded by the torch in the knight’s hand, accepting the plate passed to him. The food itself looked fine, if not blandly unappealing. Takaki was about halfway through eating it when another torchbearer approached him, Takaki unable to make out the man’s face until it was right in front of him, shadows long against his face.

“Takaki Yuya, was it?”

“Your Majesty.” Takaki stumbled to his feet in surprise, trying to bow, but the man held up a hand, stopping him.

“Don’t try to show me your respect, light bringer. I know you’re just here to dethrone me.”

“I—” Takaki froze. “What did you just call me?”

“I never should have let you near my son. I knew there was something wrong about you. You and your…” The King’s eyes flicked to Takaki’s head in disgust “…hair.”

Takaki resisted the urge to roll his eyes, knowing his roots had grown out nearly to his ears by now. That wasn’t important now, too focused on the the King’s words.

“Why did you call me light bringer?”

“Don’t act like you don’t know.” Chinen Takashi’s face was twisted in shadow. “The prophecy of my downfall. That the bringer of light will illuminate the true King. That you’re trying to dethrone me.”

“How do you know that I’m the light bringer?”

“So you admit it.”

Takaki felt frustratingly confused, wondering if at this point the King was simply grasping at straws, desperate for someone to point a finger at. If his paranoia had reached a point where he just needed someone to blame. That was, until he pulled an object from a pocket in his jacket.

“My phone.” Takaki gasped, disbelieving. “What—”

“Phone?” The King echoed, looking down at the object, his face curling in disgust. “Is that what you call this thing?” He slid the device back into his pocket. “Morimoto saw you, last night, drawing light form it. Once you were asleep he took it from your drawer. It wasn’t hot, like it should have been, but cold and unnatural. He brought it to me immediately, and I understood instantly what it was.”

Hikaru hadn’t betrayed him. Ryutaro had, unintentionally, but it was a small comfort nonetheless.

“This prophecy can’t come true. I won’t allow it; I will not allow anything endanger me or my son’s positions on the throne. You are being executed tomorrow. ”

King walked off, taking the last shred of light with him. Takaki was left in the dark, no longer hungry. He had been condemned, given a death sentence, and there was nothing he could do about it.

The conviction in the King had in his voice when calling him the light bringer had been so strong that Takaki had to wonder if it was true, almost laughing out loud. If his cell phone was what made him the light bringer, then it wouldn’t at all be a stretch for Inoo to be the maiden of deceit, as he had suggested. This prophecy had a sense of humor.

After a while, it was about impossible for Takaki to discern if his eyes were opened or closed, if he was awake or asleep. He was exhausted. It was surreal. Everything was surreal; he was being hanged the next day, for being assumed to have a role in a prophecy to alter a world he had been transported to by magic.

That was so ludicrous that it did have him laughing, just a little bit, being shouted at a gruff voiced man to shut up. Despite all that, he couldn’t find it in himself to regret anything that had happened. He didn’t want to die, not by any means, but he was glad to have come. He was glad to have befriended Chinen and Yamada, to have seen Yamada and Daiki confirm their feelings for one another; to have met Inoo, easily one of the most interesting people he had encountered in his life.

Inoo Kei. Takaki wondered if the news of his arrest had reached him yet. If it hadn’t, it definitely would by the end of the day, if that time hadn’t passed already; Hikaru would tell Yabu, and bring the news home.

Takaki didn’t think it would ever sink in, that he had been condemned to death. He couldn’t help but wonder if dying here also meant dying back home. Maybe he would just be transported back. Would it be as though no time had passed, and he would be on the train platform, on his way to his hair appointment, or would he find himself as a missing person, and have to try explaining away what had happened? Death seemed more likely.

While he didn’t want to die, he also didn’t want any of his friends to do anything stupid. It did seem ironic though; the first thing he had done in this universe is stop an execution, and now he was headed towards his own. He laid down on the cold stone floor, letting out a sigh.

“Where’s Inoo when you need him?”

He didn’t get shouted at to shut up this time; there was a reply.

“I’m on my way; I didn’t know it would be so dark in here.”

“…what?” Takaki couldn’t believe what he had heard, but then Inoo’s voice came again, the dry sarcasm not quite strong enough to drown out the slight fear in his voice.

“We’re trying to save your life, and you’re welcome. Now keep talking so we can find you.”

“We?” Takaki asked.

“Me and Inoo.” It was Yuto’s voice, much to Takaki’s surprise.

“Yuto’s the one that brought the news; apparently Hikaru didn’t deem this as something important enough to tell Yabu about. Yuto said he could sneak into the castle, but I didn’t know it meant simply stunning all of the guards.”

“Stunning them?” It took Takaki a moment to realize what that meant. “Yuto, you’re a mage?”

“Uh, yeah. A bit.”

“What time is it?” Takaki had to ask. He had no idea.

“The complete dead of night, I think. Takaki, keep talking.” Inoo reminded him. Takaki wasn’t sure what to say.

“I… Well, it was Ryutaro that came to the King about me.”

“Why?” Inoo’s voice was closer now.

“My phone made him think I was part of the prophecy. It made him think that I was the light bringer.”

“Your phone?”

“It’s… It has to do with electricity. I can create artificial light with it.”

“Well, you do sound like a light bringer to me then.” Yuto remarked.

“And I’m going to be executed tomorrow, to stop the prophecy from true.”

“No you’re not.” They had found him; Inoo’s voice was close, Takaki standing up and reaching out. His hand found an arm, that arm reaching up, Inoo’s thumb brushing lightly over his cheek before finding and holding his hand. “We’re saving you.”

“Alright, I just need to open…” There was a jangling of keys, Yuto trailing off into a sigh. “The locks are proofed against charms. Of course they are.”

“You know, when your ex husband changes all the locks because he doesn’t want you to get your stuff back, you learn a thing or two.” Inoo said, the physical contact gone to fiddle with the lock himself. There was some clicking of metal against metal, and a light, aggravated grumble.

“This is easier when you can see.” Inoo said, his tone defensive, Yuto laughing a little. There was the hiss of a fuse being lit, a candle illuminating them all in warm light. Takaki assumed the light belonged to Yuto or Inoo, but as he saw their faces, Yuto glancing around quickly, with Inoo stumbling to his feet, his eyes widening in panic. Takaki looked up and saw Ryutaro, holding a candle.

“Wait, wait wait.” Ryutaro said quickly as both Inoo and Yuto turned to him, both of them with their arms up; Yuto looked ready to cast a spell, and it seemed like Inoo was going to deck Ryutaro in the face, but he was considerably less threatening. “I’m not… I’m here to help.”

“Why would you help?” Inoo asked, eyes narrowed.

“Because I need his help in return.” Ryutaro’s voice was surprisingly desperate, and Takaki could tell Inoo and Yuto heard it too, both of their expression becoming disarmed.

“Explain.” Yuto said shortly.

“Takaki being here shows that the prophecy has already been set in motion.” Ryutaro said. “Anything could happen between now and when the execution happens, if one would end up happening at all. I need help to stop the prophecy, or reverse it. And since Takaki is in it, I thought maybe he could help.”

“Oh, lovely.” Inoo said dryly, kneeling to get back to picking the lock. “For a moment there I thought it was from the goodness of your heart.”

“If the prophecy comes true, Chinen will be executed. I refuse to let that happen.”

“Ryutaro, I don’t know how to reverse the prophecy.” Takaki told him. The lock clicked satisfyingly open, Inoo standing and giving Takaki a smug little grin of success.

“I know.” Ryutaro reached forward, opening Takaki’s cell door. “We’re going to the library. There has to be something about stopping prophecies in some book somewhere.”

Takaki knew he couldn’t argue, stepping out of his cell to join them. Yuto rounded them together, covering them with a shrouding spell as they exited the dungeon. They cast no shadows on the walls, their footfalls silent. Despite Yuto saying that talking wouldn’t give them away, the four of them were silent until the library came into view, Ryutaro leading the way.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Additional warning for uh... comically implied prostitution?

“Um… What is a library?” Inoo asked when they entered the room. Takaki was surprised; since Inoo could read, it didn’t occur to him that he wouldn’t know.

“It’s just a place with a collection of books.” Takaki answered, shrugging. “And they’re categorized, so you can go there to look something up, if you need information, or something.”

“So you can just sit in here, and read, and just find out things?” Inoo looked rather excited by that, his anticipation making Takaki smile as they entered the large room. They browsed the shelves as quickly as they could, pulling any books with mentions of prophecies and piling them in four equal stacks on the large table in the middle. It didn’t end up being too many per stack, but none of the books had indexes, so all they had was the painstaking option of flipping through every single hard to decipher, handwritten page for any hints of the words “stop”, “cancel”, or “reverse”.

There was a surprised exclamation every time something was found, but reading it out loud always lead to the realization that it wasn’t the information they were looking for. More often than not it was something more along the lines of how impossible it was to try stopping a prophecy, that it was fate, that it was happening, and it didn’t take too long for a mood of discouragement to settle. Takaki had to take a break after what felt like a few hours, rubbing his burning eyelids in an attempt to keep them open.

“Has anyone found anything?” Inoo asked with a sigh, throwing the book he's been holding on to the dark wood tabletop. Takaki shook his head, Yuto groaning and stretching, closing the book in front of him and pushing it away.

“No.”

Ryutaro didn’t answer, his nose buried in the pages in front of him, determination set on his face. After staring at him for a few moments Inoo's exasperation hardened into an akin expression and he got to his feet, looking for more books to search through. Takaki stood to look with him, and there came a point where they weren’t even looking for books concerning prophecies anymore, their standards lowering to anything historical or anything concerning magic, to hope what they needed was mentioned.

“I’m learning a lot, at least.” Inoo said, shrugging, his silver lining making Takaki smile at him. “I mean, obviously I know what a book is, but I didn’t know someone could just sit in one room for as long at they wanted and just… Learn stuff. It’s cool.”

Takaki hadn’t ever thought of it that way. He'd never been fond of school, and as a result he'd never entered a library of his own free will. It had always been a necessity for a project or a research paper, and now he was in a world where being able to read itself was a privilege.

“We should leave soon.” Yuto spoke up, glancing to the window that was high up on the wall. Their candles had burnt out, but the light grey filtering through the glass had kept them from really noticing. “The sun is rising, and we need to get Takaki to a safe place before someone comes in and sees him.”

Takaki felt that to be a very good idea, but both Inoo and Ryutaro seemed reluctant to leave. Ryutaro’s face was full of frustration at their inability to have found anything, his forehead resting on the heels of his hands as he looked at the book splayed open on the table, while Inoo was too enthralled to look up from the book he was reading.

“Guys, really. I’m serious; they're going to serve prisoners breakfast, and the castle will go on lock down as soon as Takaki is reported missing. We won’t be able to leave. Hikaru would find him instantly.”

“…fine.” Ryutaro stood, sighing, his mind seemingly hundreds of miles away. Inoo hadn’t turned his eyes from the pages though, making Takaki ask,

“Inoo? What is it?”

“Hold on.”

“We need to leave.”

“Wait, wait…”

Yuto was getting antsy, unable to stand still, eyes flicking rapidly between the high windows, where the outside sky was turning a pale blue, and the library door, as though he expected it to burst open at any moment.

“Inoo—”

“You guys will want to hear this.” Inoo insisted. “It’s not about stopping the prophecy, but… There was more than one prophecy spoken on King Takashi’s coronation day.”

“What?” Ryutaro asked. “What was it about?”

“The True King, I think.” Inoo frowned a little, readjusting his grip on the book's spine and reciting from the open pages. “The true king hides in plain sight, seen by all yet known by few. He killed before he was born, unknowing, entering the world without kin, his father's death preceding his own and masquerading as an accident. He will be our first ruler to use his own magic for good.”

“Magic?” Yuto echoed, surprised. Inoo nodded, opening his mouth to respond when the library door opened. Takaki jumped at the sound, Inoo ripping the page from the book and grabbing Takaki by the arm, yanking him behind a bookshelf.

“What are we doing?” Takaki hissed at him.

“Finding a place to hide.” Inoo hissed back. “Come on.”

“Oh, Morimoto.” Came an unfamiliar voice. “You’re alone? What’re you doing here so early?”

“I’m…um…”

Inoo pointed to a closet on the far wall and they slipped inside, the door quietly clicking closed. The cracks above and below the door were the only light inside, Inoo’s face half a foot away.

“Okay, now what do we do?” Takaki asked. “We can’t stay in here forever.”

“Not with that attitude.” Inoo told him, but it was a joke, and he was glancing around the closet. Takaki could see the gears in his head turning. “Oh. Oh, I have an idea.”

“What?”

Inoo pointed behind Takaki’s head and when he turned to look, he couldn’t believe it. This closet wasn’t full of cleaning supplies, rags, or buckets, but a personal closet for the librarian, with spare candles and clothes, five dresses hanging up behind him.

“No.”

“Yes.”

“I mean, you could, but you’re so much prettier than me, and—”

“I’m flattered.” Inoo said, pulling a dress off the hanger and pushing it into Takaki’s hands. “Get dressed.”

As soon as they had the dresses on Inoo began ripping them, shortening the skirts, entirely pulling off one of Takaki’s sleeves.

“What are you doing?” Takaki asked, bewildered as Inoo reached up, messing up his hair. Then Inoo pulled on his own hair, tangling it effectively and letting out a sigh.

“You’ll see. Now let me do the talking. You look great.” After shoving the book page down his dress front, Inoo took Takaki’s hand and strode out of the closet, his entire body exuding confidence that Takaki didn’t understand how he could have.

“Oh, great knight!” He called out in a surprisingly convincing falsetto. Ryutaro was standing near the table, two other knights talking to him. All of them turned, Ryutaro’s eyes nearly popping out of his head.

“You have company?” Inoo asked, biting his lip. “You just left us in that closet; I was wondering what happened.”

“Oh god.” Ryutaro murmured, completely mirroring Takaki’s thoughts as he realized what Inoo was implying.

“Where did you get such pretty ones?” One of the knights asked. Inoo giggled like he was flattered, Takaki resisting pulling a face.

“Well, working for the Prince probably has its benefits in the payroll.” The other knight pointed out. “Though… The library?”

“You’re right, I’ll escort them out.” Ryutaro had finally managed to rein in the disbelieving expression on his face and find his tongue, reaching out in Inoo’s direction. Inoo gave Ryutaro a sultry grin, going on one side of him and ducking to tuck himself under Ryutaro’s arm. Takaki did the same on Ryutaro’s other side, and they walked out of the library together.

“What in the ever loving—” Ryutaro began.

“You’re not supposed to take prostitutes to the library, you dirty, dirty pervert.” Inoo told him. “Is it too dangerous to go get a change of clothes, or do we have to make our escape looking like ravaged whores?”

“I…”

Before Ryutaro could think of a defense Yuto appeared beside them, clutching his sides in laughter. He waved a hand, murmuring the cloaking spell between giggles, and their shadows disappeared in the hallway.

“I cannot believe that you just… That you just…”

“Alright, breathe.” Inoo said, rolling his eyes in Yuto’s direction and reaching up to straighten out his bangs. All Takaki wanted to do was get out of this dress, leading the way up to his room. They reached it without difficulty, Yuto revoking the charm as soon as the door was closed. They moved as silently as they could, Takaki getting out an outfit for Inoo and himself, changing quickly. As soon as they were dressed Ryutaro entered Chinen’s room, and though he closed the door, the three of them could still hear everything that was said.

“Where have you been all night?” Chinen asked, his concern interrupted by a quick kiss from the bodyguard. “Ryutaro, what—”

“What if we ran away?” Ryutaro’s voice was quiet, but sure. “The prophecy has been set in motion, and I’m not letting you kill someone, Yuri. I’m not letting you die. If we can’t resolve this, will you run away with me?”

A shout rang up from downstairs, and due to how intently the three of them had been eavesdropping it made all of them jump, Inoo gripping quickly on Takaki’s arm.

“He’s escaped! Lockdown!”

“We need to go.” Yuto said, voice full of urgency, and Takaki couldn’t agree faster, Yuto quickly shielding them as they made their way down the stairs. The front doors were already being locked, Yuto coming to a stop in front of the guard bolting it closed.

“Don’t.” He said, voice extremely commanding. The cloaking spell fell away, the guard at the door transfixed, Takaki quickly looking behind them. “Unlock it. Now.”

The throne room door was cracked open, Takaki meeting eyes with someone through the gap between the wood, seeing recognition, then determination.

“Yuto, we need to be gone.” He urged.

“Unlock the door.”

The knight did, moving painfully slowly, the throne room bursting open as a knight with a spear ran towards them. Inoo let out a shout, flinching back, the deadbolt on the door slamming open. As soon as that noise hit the man running at them was flung backwards with a sweep of Yuto's arm, skittering across the floor, and the cloaking spell was on them again, the young magician leading the run out the front doors.

The command to shut down the castle hadn’t yet reached the outside gate, so there was nothing to do but run through, Takaki’s chest heaving, blood pumping through his body. He didn’t know where they were going, where Yuto was taking them, but he had faith that it would be somewhere safe. At least, more safe than the castle was.

They sprinted past the fields, the ground steadily getting more uneven until they hit some trees. The few trees turned into a forest, and though it was sparse, both Yuto and Inoo deemed it good enough, the two of them slowing to a stop to breathe.

“Nice mind tricks there, Jedi master.”

The title at the end earned Takaki strange looks from both of this friends, but Yuto seemed to understand the gist of what he said, shaking his head.

“No, no, it took too long. That’s a spell I can’t do yet. I’ve asked Hikaru for help, but he refused me. He said controlling another person's thoughts was too much power, and it was too dangerous.”

Takaki remembered his first and only day he'd had the opprotunity to sit in His Majesty's audience, when Hikaru had used that exact trick to stop the King from sending out feast invitations. He had done it much more smoothly; the force Yuto needed in his voice hadn't been there, only the smooth power of suggestion, and he had been able to shift the King’s mind on to something different while he was at it, instead of making him just follow orders. Hikaru was skilled in that spell, meaning he had practice at it, something about that making Takaki feel uneasy. It reminded him of what Inoo had said earlier, when they'd rescued him, about Hikaru not deeming his arrest and impending execution as something worthy of telling Yabu about.

“We can rest here; I’ll ward the place.” Yuto said, pulling Takaki from his thoughts as he straightening up, breath back in his lungs. “Hikaru will be sent after us, and while he’ll be able to detect the charms shielding us, he shouldn’t be able to break in.”

“Okay.” Inoo said, sighing, sitting down slowly. Takaki sat next to him, watching as he pulled the paper with the prophecy from a pocket in his pants.

“I don’t understand it.” He said after staring for a few minutes. Takaki reached out, Inoo passing it to him easily. “And not the prophecy itself—that’s supposed to be cryptic—but the King.”

“What do you mean?” Takaki asked him. Inoo shrugged.

“It’s just… This guy doesn’t sound so great.”

“How?”

“Well, he’s a murderer, for one.”

It took Takaki a few moments to realize what Inoo was referring to: the line _he killed before he was born_.

“I don’t know if that can be seen as his fault.” Takaki said after a few moments of consideration. “He killed before he was born… How can you kill someone before you’re born?”

“The mother died in childbirth, maybe?” Yuto offered, the warding finished, sitting cross legged across from them. “A lot of times, the child is seen as the killer, though they didn’t truly do anything wrong.”

That made a lot of sense, Takaki had to admit.

“Hiding in plain sight? Seen by all?” Inoo sighed. “This was hard enough with only one prophecy. Now there’s two to deal with.”

“Yeah, we really need to work that first one out.” Takaki said, just as Yuto asked “What is it?”

Luckily, by now Takaki had the entire thing memorized, reciting it to Yuto. The mage’s eyebrows furrowed in thought, and he was silent for a long time.

“I’m stuck on the lion and the lamb, but the rest is pretty easy.” He finally told them. “Really, it is this second one we need to focus on.”

“…what?” Inoo asked, the look on his face making Yuto laugh. “Don’t tell me you actually understand what Takaki just told you.”

“Well, it’s a theory, but… If Takaki is the light bringer, as the King supposes, and ‘false ruler’ and ‘the Prince’ are pretty obvious, and Inoo, don’t take this the wrong way, but—”

“Maiden of deceit?” Takaki guessed. Yuto nodded.

“That’s everyone figured out, except for the true King, the lion, and the lamb. But the lion and lamb part sounds like a bit of an epilogue, an assurance that you solved the whole puzzle right, so really what we need to focus on is illuminating the true King, which is what that second prophecy is trying to help us do.”

“What is with you?” Inoo asked him, slightly disbelieving.

“I like to think I’m prophetically inclined.” Yuto said proudly.

The second prophecy was a little relieving, to Takaki at least; it was a confirmation that he was not the true King that the first one was speaking of. If he truly was the light bringer though, he was the one that had to find this true King, and reveal him to everyone else. Inoo’s role was easier. He just didn’t have to die.

There was only so long they could stare at a piece of paper though, and after throwing in the towel for the day conversation shifted.

“So Yuto, you’re a mage?”

The lanky young man nodded, digging into the ground with a stick.

“And it never came to your mind to tell us?”

“It wasn’t a secret.” Yuto defended. “Hikaru knew; he’s taught me some things. I just assumed you all knew, because he did. It’s not like I’m going to walk through the front door like ‘hey, I know magic’.”

He had a point.

“We’ve never seen you use it though, or anything. Hikaru at least has a few party tricks.”

“I’m not good enough yet.” Yuto said, shrugging. “It’s not something I can just play around with. I’m not confident enough in my abilities to, I don’t know, turn a doorknob into a mouse and be sure that nobody’s eyebrows are going to get singed off.”

The example was oddly specific, making Inoo look at him strangely.

“Yuto, how many times have you regrown your eyebrows?”

Yuto avoided Inoo’s eyes so blatantly that Takaki burst into laughter.

“I’d rather not disclose that information.”

“Speaking of magic though,” Takaki said, switching the topic for Yuto’s sake, because Inoo looked like he really wanted to know what the new eyebrow number actually was. “You said Hikaru was going to be after us? Why? He’s the one that most wants the prophecy to come true.”

Yuto gave him a doubtful glance. “Are you sure?”

That made Takaki pause. “Why do you ask? He’s the one that summoned me; he’s the one that told me about everything.”

“He’s also the one that didn’t lift a finger when the King was prepared to execute you.” Yuto said. “Hikaru’s the King’s advisor; everything His Majesty does goes through him first. He’d have to have known.”

“Well… Well, maybe he was planning something during the execution?” Inoo guessed. Takaki could tell he didn’t want to lose faith in his friend. Yuto shrugged, allotting that it was possible, Takaki understanding the way Inoo felt. He felt that Hikaru was a good guy, but it was hard to shake the feeling of unease that had kindled in him when he had—falsely, admittedly—come to think that Hikaru had been the one to turn him in.

“To answer your question though, Hikaru’s going to come after us because the King is going to send him.” Yuto said. “If you guys are right, and he is on our side, then we might not have anything to worry about, but I’m not willing to risk it. If we get captured, we’ll get killed.”


	15. Chapter 15

The protective bubble Yuto had placed them in was nearly transparent, soundproof, and impermeable, but the fact that Takaki could see through it still made him uneasy and vulnerable; knowing it was there and not being able to see physical protection was a strange thing. Though Takaki knew that here, magic was real, this was the first time he'd actually interacted with it, which was something different entirely. When he told Yuto so, Inoo was the one to get irrationally excited.

“I know you just admitted that you don’t like doing this, but show him a trick. Just one. Please?”

Yuto gave him a doubtful glance.

“I won’t tell anyone if your eyebrows fall off. I promise.”

A little more coaxing was enough, Yuto finally sighing and getting to his feet. He found small stick, raising his hand above it and lifting it into the air. Years of “magic tricks” in his world still had Takaki feeling cynical, but he knew now he was now in a place without invisible strings and slights of hand, and it was truly impressive.

“What’s the most pointless spell you know?” Inoo asked. “Hikaru has said there’s one for giving someone freckles. He also didn’t let me talk him into using it on me.”

“There are a lot of appearance altering spells.” Yuto said, nodding. “Adding freckles, spontaneous facial hair—though I’ve heard that one’s really itchy—temporary height changes… Usually a simple slashing spell is used, for things like trimming nails and cutting hair. It can do real damage though, so it isn’t safe to use it around your face. I tried to cut my hair when I was younger, and…”

He pointed, and it took a bit of staring for Takaki to notice a small scar on his upper lip.

“The most useless spell I know can conjure toads. It makes toads fly, quite literally, so wherever you are, in uncontrollable amounts. Raiya always found it hilarious.”

“What’s the most dangerous spell?” Takaki asked. “Since that slashing spell cuts, does that mean there are things like killing curses?”

To his surprise, Yuto shook his head. “Magic can’t be used to kill people. Not directly, anyway. The closest spell there is to death is _amor mortis_."

“_Amor mortis?_” Inoo echoed. “What does it do?”

“It puts you to sleep until an act of true love is bestowed upon you.” Yuto said. Inoo raised his eyebrows.

“True love… Does that even exist?”

“True love is a myth at best.” Yuto answered. “No one can prove it or disprove it, really; that’s what makes the spell so dangerous.”

“The most dangerous spell… Is the plot of a Disney movie?” Takaki couldn’t help but ask, dumbfounded. He must have sounded serious, because Yuto earnestly looked like he wanted to answer, his question about what a Disney was being drowned out by Inoo laughing.

“Movie? Like the word move? Move-y?” Inoo was giggling and shaking his head. “Your world is so weird.”

“Electricity is not a god.” Takaki threw back at him.

“Okay, sure. What is it, then?”

That question was harder to answer.

“It’s… It’s the flow of electrons. I think. Something like that.”

“What’s an electron?” Yuto asked. He was genuinely curious, and Takaki couldn’t help but appreciate that.

“Well, everything is made of particles, and…”

By the end of his attempt at an explanation, he had the both of them so thoroughly confused that he actually would feel bad, if he didn’t find it so funny. Conversation ended as night began to fall, and they broke apart to look for places to sleep. Takaki found a patch of grass that wasn’t too rocky, laying on his back and putting his hands behind his head. He wasn’t sure how Inoo ended up next to him, less than half a foot away, but he wasn’t complaining, simply looking up at the stars. There were more stars visible here than there were in Tokyo, and stargazing was something he'd begun to appreciate a lot more.

“I didn’t know Ryutaro was so open about his feelings towards Chinen.” Inoo said, voice quiet. Takaki nodded.

“I really don’t know if he thinks it’s a secret or not. He never says or does anything with other people in the room, but Yamada has seen them kissing. So have I.”

That made Inoo frown in contemplation. “Kiss?” He finally asked. “But he’s so tall, and Chinen’s so short… How does that work?”

“Well, Ryutaro picked him up.” Takaki explained. “Chinen’s legs were around his waist.”

“Romantic.” Inoo remarked. Takaki glanced over to catch Inoo’s head turned towards him, but the younger man didn’t look away. “I don’t think you’d be able to pick me up.” he said.

“You’re not three feet tall.” Takaki responded. “I wouldn’t need to.”

That made Inoo laugh, looking back up at the sky.

“Now, I’m not easy.” He warned. “If you can’t pick me up, court me at least.”

“I heard a rumor that you married a guy you barely knew.” Takaki countered, laughing when Inoo’s fist found his side in the dark. “It’s just a rumor though, don’t get so defensive.”

“All rumors have a bit of truth to them.” Inoo sighed. “Really though, Takaki, thanks for everything.”

“You’ve said that already.” Takaki told him. “Besides, I didn’t do much of anything. I just untied your hands and feet; you were the one—”

“The one that threw the tomatoes, I know.” Inoo laughed a little. “I wasn’t just talking about the execution.”

Takaki couldn’t think of much else he had done. He had become a companion, sure, but a companion that had dropped unannounced into their home, taking up space and encroaching on Inoo’s privacy. When he told Inoo so he just got a laugh and a headshake in his direction.

“You’ve just… I’m happy you’re here.” Inoo was embarrassed, Takaki realized. “I’m happier when I wake up in the morning, and I’m happier when it’s my turn to do the dishes, I’m happier having to leave the house when Hikaru’s over so I don’t hear all the weird noises that they make with each other…”

Takaki laughed, putting his hand on his face, Inoo laughing too.

“Just… Thanks for making me happy, I guess.”

Takaki glanced over to see Inoo staring up, his face surprisingly serious.

“Now, don’t propose to me just yet, because I’m not ready to say yes.” Takaki said, Inoo glancing at him in amusement. “But I like you too. I like you a lot.”

“Well now you’re just embarrassing me.” Inoo said, covering his face with his hands and rolling on his side, his body pressing close to Takaki’s. Takaki smiled at him, reaching over to kiss Inoo's head.

“A little bird told me that Yamada confessed to Daiki.” Yuto said the next morning, Takaki’s stomach grumbling uncomfortably as he sat down next to the magician.

“He did.” Takaki answered. “It was great, honestly. Kissed him and everything.”

“Ooh.” Yuto grinned.

“Yeah, well, Daiki is freaking out.” Inoo said, sitting down next to Takaki, their knees touching as he crossed his legs. “He’s panicking.”

“What?” Takaki asked. With the responding kiss and the cute letter, he had assumed that everything was well on both sides.

“Think about it.” Inoo answered. “Daiki always talked about how Yamada liking him was impossible, and he’s so concerned with status that honestly, he doesn’t know what to do. He’s embarrassed that he can’t read, so he asked me. He spent an entire evening fretting because of all the times Yamada had seen him with dirt on him.”

“But Yamada likes that.” Takaki countered. “It’s part of what makes him a ruggedly handsome farmer boy.”

“That’s what I said.” Inoo answered. “I mean, Daiki likes Yamada, don’t get me wrong, but he’s mostly just really nervous about the whole thing. And nervous is good, but not this much.”

“Do you think they’ll break up?” Yuto asked, frowning. Inoo thought for a little, pulling at the grass before shaking his head.

“No. Daiki’s not that kind of person. I think he can get over it, especially if I can convince him to tell Yamada about how he’s feeling. That’s how they would work through it. But they can work through that after we work through this.”

Inoo pulled the prophecy out, tossing it in Takaki’s lap. “Any ideas?”

“Whoever it is, it’s an orphan.” Takaki offered. That was obvious enough, with “killed before he was born” and “father’s death preceding his own”. “And he has magical abilities.”

“So we’re looking for a magical orphan?” Inoo asked. When Yuto nodded, he sighed. “I don’t know any magical orphans. I don’t even think I know any orphans. Yabu’s whole family lives one country over, and I’ve met Daiki’s mother. She’s a wonderful lady.”

“The kingdom must really be in turmoil.” Yuto said. “I’m positive the King is panicking.”

“What makes this King false?” Takaki had to ask. The prophecy said he was, sure, but he didn’t know why. The King’s second in command had willed him the throne, so there shouldn’t have been anything to make the passage of power incorrect.

“There’s rumor that the will of the Hand was forged by Chinen Takashi.” Inoo said. “Which, honestly, makes sense. The two weren’t really friends.”

“There’s also rumor that the Hand didn’t have the same illness the King had.” Yuto added. “It was evident that His Majesty was sick, but it’s said that the Hand wasn’t sick at all.”

“Chinen’s father killed him?” Takaki asked, shocked. Yuto nodded.

“That would make him a bit of a fraud, I would say.”

“Okay, so Takashi killed the Hand for the throne. Even then, who’s this true King supposed to be?” Inoo asked. “The previous King’s entire family died of sickness, leaving the Hand of the King to rule, and everyone knows that Okamoto Kenichi never had any children. Are we just supposed to find who he meant to leave the throne to? Is that the magical orphan we’re looking for?”

“Maybe the King had a bastard born son?” Yuto proposed. “Illegitimates have no claim to positions of power, but maybe because of his magical abilities the rules could be bent?”

“No, that still wouldn’t make him an orphan.” Inoo said. “’Entering the world without kin’, it says right there.”

Yuto sighed, shrugging.

“Did any of the previous King’s family have magical abilities?” Takaki asked. Inoo and Yuto looked at each other, obviously unsure of the answer, but the final verdict was a headshake from Inoo.

“Then how could the King have a son that knows magic?”

“It’s not passed by bloodline.” Yuto said. “No one in my family can cast spells.”

“Or summon frogs.” Inoo added, giggling. Yuto rolled his eyes.

“Yes, or summon frogs. I was born with it, so obviously my parents were surprised, but they helped me out the best they could. They asked around, and bought books and things. So even though I’ve never had an official mentor, I know a good amount of spells. I’ve even been able to give a few lessons of my own.”

“Learning it from nothing isn’t impossible though, I think.” Inoo said. “You might have to have some sort of foundation in it, but it doesn’t have to be very strong, or obvious. Hikaru learned the trade, I think. He just got really good really quickly… What?”

Takaki had stopped listening to Inoo a while ago, when he had noticed a shape in the trees. The form was obvious now though, and he couldn’t hold in a curse.

“Speak of the devil.”

“Who?” Inoo asked, following where Takaki was looking. “Oh. He can’t see us, right?” Inoo’s voice had grown hushed, and he reached out, finding Takaki’s arm.

“No, but he’ll be able to detect that this patch of ground is enchanted. He’ll know we’re here.” Yuto answered.

Standing in the trees, less than three feet from them, was Yaotome Hikaru.

“Oh, he knows.” Yuto said, how voice lowered to a nervous whisper despite the protective shield being soundproof. “He knows we’re here.”

Hikaru was looking around, looking over them, and Takaki couldn’t help but feel like the barrier wasn’t there at all. Then Hikaru’s eyes found his, locking on, the air in front of him shimmering. The barrier was broken. Takaki tried to remind himself that Hikaru could still be with them, and still be on their side, but he couldn't help the fear in his chest.

“You didn’t run very far.”

His voice didn’t sound particularly friendly, taking a step forward. Yuto picked up on it immediately, letting out a shout and flinging his hand in his direction. Red sparks flew from his fingers, hitting Hikaru in the chest and knocking him a few steps backwards. Hikaru waved his arm back at the lanky young man and Yuto flew backwards, skidding several feet before regaining his footing. Takaki immediately noticed the power difference between Hikaru and Yuto, and it was worrying.

“What should we do?” Inoo whispered, tugging on Takaki’s arm until they were both on their feet. “Should we run?”

“We can’t leave Yuto here, can we?” Takaki asked back. A few more charms had been exchanged between them, Hikaru’s robes in slight disarray and Yuto breathing heavily. Hikaru’s arm swept out to the side, Yuto’s body slamming into a tree. He fell to the ground with a groan, but Hikaru didn’t look back, making a beeline for Inoo.

The look in Inoo’s eyes made it clear that all of the doubts he had expressed about Hikaru being against them were gone at this point, and squished up to Takaki’s side, Takaki wanting to somehow protect him, but completely unsure how.

Hikaru said something in a low tone and yellow sparks flew from his hand, catching Inoo on the arm. He crumpled to the ground next to Takaki’s feet, being lifted into the air by a wave of Hikaru's hand, his eyes closed, his head lolling back as gravity tried to resist the spell.

“He’s not dead, but I have to take him with me.” Hikaru told him. Then he stumbled, catching himself on a tree before falling on his face. Inoo dipped drastically, Takaki diving to catch him. He didn’t end up needing to, Hikaru managing to reach out and recast the spell half a foot before Inoo’s back hit the ground. Hikaru’s face twisted into displeasure as he lifted Inoo up again, turning his body towards Yuto, speaking slowly, clearly, almost reluctantly.

“_Amor mortis_.”

Yuto’s body fell slowly, first to his knees, then on his side, his eyes fluttering closed. The curse closest to death, with only a myth for the way to lift it. Hikaru levitated Yuto’s body also, holding one up with each arm as he turned to Takaki.

“If I were you, I would hurry.” He said, and like that, he was gone.


	16. Chapter 16

****

Takaki couldn’t help but to stand there for a moment, stunned. Inoo and Yuto were both gone, Inoo kidnapped and Yuto likely as good as dead, and they still had to find the true King. _He_ had to find the true King.

He pulled the page with the prophecy out, reading over it again. It was hard to focus on the words, taking a few moments to breathe, considering each sentence as he passed it.

_The true king hides in plain sight, seen by all yet known by few._

Someone whose face was easily recognized, but name was unknown.

_He killed before he was born, unknowing, entering the world without kin, his father's death preceding his own and masquerading as an accident._

An orphan, whose mother died in childbirth and whose father had already passed, his death under suspicious circumstances. No parents, no siblings. Takaki realized with a jolt that the only orphan he knew was Keito, the King’s serving boy. At first the thought was ludicrous, but then he realized the first criterion fit with it as well; he was seen by everyone that held the King’s audience, and ran errands for the man, but no one paid him much mind.

Okamoto Kenichi was supposedly a man with no personal relationships, including any sort of wife or children. There was speculation over his death though, Takaki unsure of what to put more stock in.

_He will be our first ruler to use his own magic for good._

His theory was close, but not close enough--for Keito to be the true King, he would need to know magic.

Takaki sighed, sinking to his knees, the soft earth leaving streaks on his pants. He couldn’t do this. He barely knew the land he was in; nothing he had done qualified him to begin a revolution like this, especially when he couldn’t find their leader to begin with. He didn’t know anything about prophecies. He had no ability to see more clearly what these words were supposed to mean. Prophetically inclined, as it had been called. Takaki didn’t have that. He didn’t have any magical abilities at all. He wasn’t Yuto.

_“Even though I’ve never had an official mentor, I know a good amount of spells. I’ve even been able to give a few lessons of my own.”_

Takaki’s mouth nearly fell open, and he broke out into a run. He couldn’t go to the castle, not straight away, making a beeline for his old home in the hopes that anyone would be there that was willing to help him. Thankfully, Yabu was sitting in the living room, jumping up from the couch when Takaki burst in.

“Takaki?” He asked, obviously hesitant to step closer. He gave him a once-over, concern etched into his features. “What’s happening? The entire realm has been on the lookout for you… Are you okay?”

“I… I’m…” Takaki tried as hard as he could to get his breathing under control, bent almost double, propping himself up with his hands on his knees. “Hikaru, he…”

“Is Hikaru okay?” Yabu’s concern increased tenfold, stepping a little closer.

“Well, he… Inoo and Yuto and I were camping out in the forest, and he found us.”

"And?” He didn’t like Takaki’s tone of voice, making him feel immensely guilty for his next few words. Yabu had the right to know, and if he was going to get help, he had to lay everything out on the table.

“He has them both, but they’re both unconscious. He knocked Inoo out, and Yuto tried to fight him, so he used that really bad spell. That dangerous one. The true love one, or whatever.”

“_Amor mortis?_” Yabu asked, voice soft, with a disbelieving tone that broke Takaki’s heart.

“Yes. Yabu, I’m sorry, but I need you to help me.”

“Why would he…?” It was as though Yabu hadn’t even heard him, sitting heavily on the couch with his face in his hands. “Did he cast the first spell?”

Takaki assumed that was the magical equivalent of ‘throwing the first punch’, shaking his head and straightening up. “Technically it was Yuto, but Hikaru wasn’t acting friendly. He didn’t look like good news when he showed up. The King wants to execute me, and Hikaru works for him, so it was safe to assume he wanted me dead as well. All of us, the two of them for helping me escape.”

“I don’t understand it.” Yabu confessed, looking up to meet Takaki’s eyes. “His first and foremost concern is the prophecy, it has to be.”

“He attacked Yuto and Inoo.” Takaki repeated.

“But if he was working for the King, why would he take the two of them, and leave you unscathed?” Yabu asked. He had a point; that was a question Takaki didn’t have an answer for, but he knew how to get one.

“I know you’re upset, and trust me, so am I. But I need your help.”

“What do you need?” Yabu got to his feet. His eyes were slightly watery but otherwise determined, Takaki breathing a sigh of relief.

“I’m pretty heavily wanted, so I need you to help me sneak into the castle. Preferably unnoticed--I get the feeling that if I’m spotted, I’ll be hung.”

Yabu blanched, freezing for just a second on his way to the door.

“In through the back?”

That would be a good way, but Takaki had to shake his head. He had a question first, that he needed answered.

“In through the kitchens.”

Yabu simply nodded, not asking as he closed the door behind them.

“The town’s a bit of a mess.” He said as they walked. “I don’t know how, but the prophecy became public knowledge, and there’s been talk of overthrowing His Majesty. The only reason it hasn’t happened yet is because nobody knows who should take his place.”

“Not Chinen?”

“Oh, no.” Yabu shook his head quickly. “Chinen’s the killer of his father, remember? He’s being called a murderer by just about everyone. Someone even snuck in at night and wrote it on the side of the castle in tar, under his window.”

“Oh.” Takaki grimaced. Yabu nodded.

“He hired Daiki in your place to be his serving boy, and Daiki always has a positive energy, so I’m hoping that he’s helping. Plus, there’s a rumor going around that there’s some sort of relationship between Chinen and his bodyguard so… Maybe he’s providing comfort too.”

Takaki nodded—Ryutaro doubtlessly was. They reached the kitchen door surprisingly easy, walking in. It was business as usual, if not a little grim, with barely any singing like the first time Takaki had come in with Chinen. The head chef was still humming though, making him easy to find. Takaki strode past everyone else, Yabu right behind him.

“Excuse me.”

Katori Shingo hit his wooden spoon against the side of his pot, turning to face him. When he saw Takaki he stopped, narrowing his eyes.

“Chinen’s old serving boy, was it? You shouldn’t be here, you know. The whole realm is on a manhunt for you.”

“I have a question for you first.”

The chef raised his eyebrows, crossing his arms. “Yes?”

“Are you the kitchen staff that raised the King’s serving boy? You were raising him to be a butler, weren’t you? But the King requested his service.”

“Perhaps I did. What of it?”

“I need to know his family name. You know it, don’t you? He can’t just not have one.”

Katori immediately became hesitant, his lips pursing into a frown. “I get the feeling that since you’re asking, you already know.”

“I need to make sure.”

The chef sighed. “Okamoto. His name is Okamoto Keito.”

“Thank you. Come on Yabu, we need to go.”

“Wait, wait, Okamoto?” Yabu hissed at him as they walked towards the kitchen exit. “But that’s the King’s Hand, Okamoto Kenichi, and—”

“And he had no children, I know. People said he didn’t have children, but royalty here are like celebrities, and you never really know what’s going on in a celebrity’s life. Keito’s the only person that fit the second prophecy, and he had to have a father. So I made an educated guess.”

“Second prophecy?” Yabu echoed, more lost than before, but Takaki didn’t have time to explain, shushing him. They were heading towards the stairs, and as soon as Yabu noticed that they were about to walk past the throne room, his eyes went wide, throwing out an arm to stop him. Takaki didn’t have time to stop.

“No, no you’ll be—”

“Just be normal. Walk like you know what you’re doing. Like you belong there.”

Yabu did mediocrely at best, but if Takaki had seen him through the open throne room door, the most he would have guessed was that the knight maybe had a desperate need to use the restroom. As soon as they made it to the staircase Takaki began to hurry, taking the stairs two at a time, Yabu’s long legs keeping up easily. He pounded on the Prince’s bedroom door until it opened, Takaki finding himself face to face with someone wholly unexpected.

“…Yuto?”

“Takaki, oh good. Where’s Inoo? Is he okay?”

“How are you not… How are you here?” Takaki couldn’t believe it. Hikaru had hit him with a spell that was supposed to keep him in a deep sleep indefinitely, but there he was. Yuto grinned a little, face reddening as he rubbed the back of his neck.

“Yeah, it turns out that whole ‘true love’ thing isn’t so much of a myth.”

“Who—”

“Takaki?” It was Chinen’s voice, Yuto opening the door wider. The Prince appeared, looking a little breathless. Takaki had meant to see him, and talk to him, but he expected at least a little hostility, considering how desperately his father wanted him dead. Instead Chinen stepped forward, giving him a quick squeeze.

“I’m so glad you’re alive.”

“I… Thanks.” Takaki hugged Chinen back, the relief he felt at Chinen’s reaction stronger than he had anticipated. He and Yabu were ushered quickly into the room, Takaki seeing that Yamada, Daiki, and Ryutaro were also there.

“Have any of you seen Inoo?” He asked. He got solemn headshakes from everyone, his heart sinking.

“Hikaru must still have him.” Yuto said.

“Hikaru?” Daiki echoed. “What happened?”

“I got arrested—”

“Yes.”

“—and Yuto, Inoo, and Ryutaro helped me escape. Yuto and Inoo and I ran to the woods, but Hikaru found us. He attacked us, and he took Yuto and Inoo back to the castle. So I came back, but Yuto… How did you get away?”

“I didn’t.” Yuto answered. “When I woke up I was… I was in Keito’s room, and it was just the two of us. I haven’t seen Hikaru since.”

“Then he has to be with Inoo.” Ryutaro said.

“We need to call him out, somehow.” Yamada said. “He’ll either bring Inoo with him, or it’ll create the diversion we need to go to his room.”

“Hikaru always accompanies the King, right?” Daiki chimed in, after a few moments of silent thinking. “We just need to find some reason to call the King’s audience, and then Hikaru’ll be there.”

Yamada looked over at Daiki with extreme affection, his idea taken up immediately. A few rather bad ideas were tossed around before Chinen spoke up.

“He’s really afraid of the prophecy coming true, so we could just propose the idea of me leaving the Kingdom for a while. I honestly was thinking about doing that anyway.” He added, glancing at Ryutaro. “He’ll want to talk about that. He’ll probably want to arrange it as soon as possible. Ever since the whole world has started calling me a murderer, he hasn’t been alone with me in a room.”

Despite how sad the idea was, it was still a good idea. Though saving Inoo was Takaki’s main priority, if the King was going to be there, then Keito was too. He was the light bringer, and with that came another whole mission.

“Hey, so… After Hikaru left, I figured out who the true King was.” He said, getting surprised looks. “I mean, I could very well be wrong, but I’m pretty sure I’m not. And he’s going to be there too.”

“You’re going to reveal the true King?” Yuto asked. Takaki nodded.

“I want to save Inoo, but if I can, I will.” he answered. Chinen frowned, worrying his bottom lip.

“What if that causes me to… Hurt my father while we’re there? I can’t go.”

“You have to.” Yamada answered. “We can’t hold a meeting about you without you being there.”

“I’ll be next to you the whole time.” Ryutaro said, taking hold of Chinen’s hand. “You’ve been my priority since birth, and—”

“—and will be forever, I know, but…”

“Chinen, please.” This was the only thing that could work, and Takaki knew it, too. “We’ll all be there with you. We won’t let anything happen to him.”

Chinen was silent for a long moment, stress clear on his face. His mind was racing, but slowly, finally, he nodded.

“I’ll go request his audience.” Ryutaro said, standing. He made his way to the door, grabbing Takaki by the upper arm on his way. Everyone was staring at them, but Ryutaro’s voice was too soft and low for anyone else to hear as he spoke.

“I’m trusting you, much more than I think I should. If anything happens, I swear I will break your spine with my bare hands.”

The gravity in Ryutaro’s voice didn’t have Takaki doubting the threat for a second, and as a result he couldn’t find his voice, simply getting out a nod instead. Without another word, Ryutaro exited the room.

“How will we get Takaki down to the throne room without him being arrested again?” Yamada asked. “He can’t very well waltz down there and expect everything to be fine.”

“I’m supposed to go everywhere with a few guards around me.” Chinen said, his voice slow with thought. “Maybe, if we had some more suits of armor, both he and Yuto could come along?”

“Yuto could probably fit in my extra suit.” Yabu supplied. “I could look around while I’m getting it, and see if I can snag one for Takaki too, if it please Your Grace.”

“I think it would work.” Chinen answered, and after a nod Yabu was out the door as well.

“Your most defining feature is still your hair, though.” Daiki pointed out. “If any of it shows, the King will know. He talks about it still, sometimes.”

“Cut it.” Takaki said. “Cut all of the brown in it away.”

The room was shockingly silent, all eyes on him, all expressions disbelieving.

“Are you sure?” Yuto asked slowly. In truth Takaki wasn’t, but he wasn’t about to let some overgrown roots destroy their chances of rescuing Inoo. He wasn’t going to let anything jeopardize this, nodding and giving a small smile.

“I mean, it’s grown out though for it not to look too bad, and… Just about everything is way more important.”

Chinen smiled a little, and next thing he knew Takaki was seated in one of the kitchen chairs, Yamada buzzing around his head, scissors in hand. It was nearly painful, hearing the snips and seeing the brown locks fall to the floor, and when it was done he felt a bit strange. He had lost the only identifying feature of his previous world, and though he’s known it had to happen eventually, it felt much more final than he had expected it to. He lived here now, and wasn’t going back.

Yabu and Ryutaro returned at around the same time, with extra armor and an affirmative response, respectively.

“He can see us as soon as we’re ready.” Ryutaro reported. “I told him it wouldn’t be long.”

Ryutaro was right. The armor was incredibly heavy and hot once it was on, Takaki feeling as though any quick movements would be impossible, and all too soon both he and Yuto were dressed and ready to go.

“All of you need to come back, all right?” Yamada said as they opened Chinen’s bedroom door. “We’ll be waiting.”

“We will.” Chinen said, his voice not quite as confident as he intended it. Ryutaro stepped up next to him, giving his hand a quick squeeze, and with Takaki on one side and Yuto on the other, they made their way down to the throne room.


	17. Chapter 17

Takaki was clanking painfully loudly as he made his way down the stairs. Yuto was standing a little taller, and making a little less noise, but it wasn't by much. By the time they reached the door his stomach was in a knot, but Ryutaro didn't stop so nobody else did, walking in. There weren't any guards in the room, making it ominously empty, the doors closing loudly behind them. The King was sitting in his chair, Keito standing on one side and Hikaru standing on the other. Hikaru's face was devoid of emotion as he looked over them, Takaki's stomach twisting tighter.

"No King's Guard, father?" Chinen asked once formalities had been exchanged. The man shook his head.

"One of them leaked the prophecy, and you saw what happened with that. I don't trust them to be in this room anymore. They stand watch outside. What was it you wanted to discuss? Your Morimoto was painfully vague."

"Well…” Chinen took a second to collect his thoughts, but his words tumbled out clumsily when he spoke again. “I was thinking, since the prophecy is coming true--since it could, I mean--"

Takaki did a quick scan of the room, seeing immediately that Inoo wasn't there. He must be in Hikaru’s room, and that’s where Yabu was headed, so Takaki only hoped to get through this meeting and see Inoo waiting for them in the Prince’s room with the knight when they returned.

The responsibility he had to reveal the true King was nagging at him, watching as Keito stood still next to the throne, feet bare and hands clasped behind his back. He couldn’t tell what would be a good way to do so, however; words wouldn’t be enough, but he could barely move in this suit of armor, and as soon as he took it off Hikaru would likely stun him.

"...so Ryutaro could escort me to refuge in one of the neighboring castles until it all blows over. You can choose which one."

"Your concern is touching." The King said, giving Chinen a smile. "It is a well intentioned plan, and something that I too have considered, but fortunately the need for it has become obsolete."

"It... It has?"

"The prophecy will only be set in motion when a certain maiden is not executed." A small smile was growing on Chinen Takashi's face, and Takaki had the sickening, sinking feeling that they were too late. "All of those women being held in the jails, turned in by our lovely, helpful citizens, were released this morning. Yaotome found me our true maiden of deceit."

The King gestured forward, and Hikaru waved a hand behind the throne. Slowly, levitated a foot above the ground, Inoo's body drifted slowly into view. Takaki took in a sharp breath as Inoo was put down at the foot of the steps, letting the air back out as he realized that he was still breathing.

"A deceitful maiden indeed." The King rose from his seat, taking a small knife from his belt. "At first, I didn't understand, but Yaotome talked me through it. I hadn't been paying enough attention to the petty crime in town."

"Father," Chinen asked hesitantly "What are you doing? That's Inoo Kei; he's a man, not a maiden."

"Failure to execute the maiden of deceit will drag the false ruler from his throne." The King recited, stepping towards Inoo's unconscious body and pulling his head back roughly by his hair. "And since I can't trust anyone in this damn place, I'll have to do it myself."

"No!" The shout was futile, Takaki knowing that as soon as it was out of his mouth but he couldn't help himself, leaping forwards. The King froze, and Takaki was so relieved that it took him a moment to realize that he had frozen too, his body paused in midair. He looked around with his eyes, feeling panicked for a second, when something moved into his field of vision.

"Do you know the identity of the true King?" Hikaru asked him, taking another step in his direction.

"Yes." Takaki answered honestly, unsure of what was happening. Hikaru had kept the King from slicing Inoo’s throat though, by freezing time the way he had, lighting a glimmer of hope in his chest.

"Reveal him. Now."

Hikaru cast a spell on the King's direction and everything unfroze, the man sprawling forwards down the steps. Takaki didn't manage to regain his balance or footing, also falling down, and when he did the absence of the clatter of metal told him that somehow, his suit of armor was gone. Hikaru had magicked it off, he assumed, glancing in the magician’s direction. He was standing in front of the still-unconscious Inoo, a protective glare in his eyes, so Takaki looked for Keito, finding him trying to help the King up off the ground.

"You!" The man spat as Takaki hurried over, pointing the knife in his direction. "You, light bringer, I'll kill--"

Takaki disregarded him completely, grabbing Keito by the arm and yanking roughly. The King’s serving boy making a small noise that was a mixture of surprise and pain as he stumbled forward, but Takaki simply tugged again. He had to get Keito to the middle of the room, to the crown, because if he was the true King, he would be able to lift it, and everyone would see that.

"Takaki!" It was Chinen's voice, high and concerned, making Takaki turn. He found himself face to face with the King, the man lunging at him with a snarl, his clothes rumpled and his eyes dangerous. He was too close for Takaki to to do much of anything except shield his face, the weight of the King knocking him painfully off balance. He was gripping Keito’s arm tightly, and as a result they all fell to the floor.

There was a crash and a clatter, Takaki kicking his foot out blindly. The heel of his shoe hit something solid, and there was a groan of pain from the King, the man getting up and stumbling back a few steps. When Takaki looked up Chinen Takashi had a split lip, dark blood running down his chin.

Keito’s body had crashed into the pedestal the crown was resting on, the marble display stand being knocked to the floor and broken unevenly in half. The crown was resting a few feet away, and Keito got up, picking it up quickly and mumbling our apologies.

"I didn't mean to knock it over, I'm sorry, I--”

Yuto gasped loudly behind them and that’s when Keito seemed to realize what had truly happened, his eyes going as wide as saucers, and he dropped the crown as though the gold had burned him.

"Oh no, no, I'm not the true King, it just fell when it was knocked over, and--" His throat choked and he stopped, crouching to pick the crown up again, looking around desperately as though he wanted someone to take it from him. His eyes were watery, but beyond that there was something, something that looked as though he knew the truth.

"You are, Keito." Takaki told him, the serving boy’s gaze landing on him. "There were two prophecies; one about the false King, and one about the true King. The second one was all about you; an orphan with magical powers. The son of the Hand of the King; you. You are the son of Okamoto Kenichi, and you are our true King."

"Yaotome!" Chinen Takashi's shout was loud and urgent. There was a bruise blossoming over the lower half of his face, the blood trickled all the way down his neck and seeping into his collar. His eyes were wild, and there was fear in his voice. "Kill him."

"I'm sorry, sir." Hikaru crossed his arms over his chest, feet planted firmly. "I only serve the true King."

His eyes were defiant, his tone leaving no room for argument. Keito was just looking at the crown in his hands, turning it over slowly, his expression more concerned than anything else. The entire room was silent, and Takaki began to feel the adrenaline draining from his body, his muscles slowly relaxing. With the absence of adrenaline came a growing feeling of pain, stinging and sharp, Takaki unable to understand how he hadn’t felt it before. He reached up, touching his nose, his fingers coming back bloody. He was glad this all was over, taking a step in Inoo’s direction when Chinen Takashi yelled, his knife raised, running towards Keito faster and more suddenly than Takaki had time to react.

Keito was just as surprised as everyone in the rest of the room, the King only a few feet away when he managed to turn around, flinching back harshly. But then Chinen Takashi froze, his face going blank, his arms dropping to his sides.

“You don’t want to do that.” Yuto was stalking over, taking large, determined steps, his voice deadly serious. He came to a stop in front of Keito, dwarfing the man in front of him, not breaking eye contact. “You want to put that knife on the floor.”

Slowly, he complied, the dagger falling from his hand with a clatter. Yuto stepped forward, placing one of his hands on Chinen Takashi forehead. His eyes slowly closed, Yuto catching the man’s body as he slowly crumpled, placing his gently on the floor. As soon as the threat was gone so was Yuto’s confident front; he was visibly shaking, letting out a heavy breath as he turned to Keito. Keito pulled him into a fierce hug, and then it truly was over.

Takaki hurried over to Inoo, who was still sitting on the floor in front of the throne, eyes gently closed, Hikaru kneeling over him.

“I’m sorry about this.” Hikaru said quietly, his thumbs on Inoo’s temples. “I wasn’t going to let anything happen, but things had gone horribly here after you escaped, so much so that I needed to force your hand.”

“I… Well, it’s alright I guess.”

Hikaru gave a little understanding chuckle, getting back to his feet. Inoo’s eyes fluttered open and he groaned, looking groggily at Takaki and meeting his eyes.

“…why is your nose bleeding?” He finally asked, struggling to sit up straighter, one hand reaching up to touch the side of Takaki’s face. “Are you okay?”

Takaki couldn’t help but laugh a little, feeling completely relieved and completely enamored as he met Inoo’s sleepy eyes. “That’s what you’re worried about?” He had to ask. “I’m fine; are you okay?”

“I… I’m not sure if I can move. I feel like I just slept for a year, and I’m hungry, and… Wait, where’s Hikaru? What happened?” He glanced around, realizing his surroundings. “What’s going on?”

“Well…” Takaki wasn’t quite sure how to put it. “The King’s been overthrown. I figured the prophecy out—it’s Keito—and—”

“I missed all of that?” Inoo looked genuinely upset, moving to get up. Takaki helped him to his feet, Inoo’s body leaning on him, finding his hand and holding it.

“Yuri?” Ryutaro asked, the concern in his voice drawing everyone’s attention. Chinen’s hands were clenched into fists, his arms shaking, looking at his feet. Ryutaro had a hand on his shoulder, trying to see his face.

“I need to leave.” Chinen said, his voice shaking. “I’m… I’m going to hurt him.”

Takaki understood immediately; the prophecy was coming true, and the Prince was to be the killer of his father. The man in question was on his back on the floor, still unconscious, Hikaru standing over him.

“I’ll move him.” The magician said. “I’ll take him to his chambers, I guess. Unless His Majesty has a different idea.”

It took a long moment for Keito to realize that Hikaru was talking to him, and even then he didn’t respond, just keeping his mouth closed and shaking his head. So Hikaru went ahead and did so, and once Chinen Takashi was gone Ryutaro hurried in front of Chinen’s, taking both of his hands.

“It’ll be fine. I’ll be with you the whole time, and I won’t let anything like that happen.”

“But it will, it will happen, I need to leave, or—”

“Or nothing, alright? You have me, and he’ll have guards, and nothing will go wrong.”

Chinen wasn’t convinced, Takaki could tell, but he gave a hesitant nod anyway.

“Am I really supposed to be your King?” Keito asked slowly. “I’m just… I’m not anyone.”

“Wait, it’s him?” Inoo asked, surprised. “How?”

“I’ll explain later.” Takaki said, but everyone else was looking at him with the same confusion, and he figured that now was as good of a time as any. He went through the first prophecy, which everyone knew and understood, moving along to the second.

“We worked out together that the true King was an orphan, with magical abilities, but that was about all. When we talked about the death of the King’s Hand, Okamoto Kenichi, and about how it was suspicious, that matched with in the prophecy, about his father’s death masquerading as an accident. ‘Hiding in plain sight’, and ‘seen by all’ also pointed to Keito, since anyone who meets with the King will see him as well. The only thing, really, was the magical abilities part, but then I remembered. Yuto, that you’d said something about ‘giving lessons’, and since I’ve lived here I’ve seen you sneaking in. I saw you with Keito in the throne room, and since you know magic, I made a bit of an assumption.”

“I… I don’t think I can do it.” Keito confessed, voice quiet.

“Are you willing to try?” Hikaru was back, standing in the doorway. Keito gripped the crown tightly in both hands, giving a determined nod.

“Hold on, I have a question.”

“Hm?” Takaki asked, deeming it safe to move his head when he saw Inoo put his scissors down on the kitchen table. He was in the middle of a haircut, and though he didn’t quite trust Inoo to cut it as much as he had come to trust Yamada, hair could always grow back.

“I was just thinking about the prophecy.” Inoo said, sitting down across from him, a thoughtful expression on his face. Takaki raised his eyebrows, surprised; it had been nearly half a year since the prophecy had been completed, and with all the other things happening in his life, he had all but forgotten about it.

“Why?”

“Well, do you remember that last part? The lion and lamb part?”

It took Takaki a second to remember what Inoo meant. _When the lamb falls for the lion, rest assured that peace has been achieved._

“What of it?” He asked back.

“What was that actually about?” Inoo frowned crossing his legs under him. “I mean, everything seems pretty peaceful, but we never actually deciphered it.”

Inoo was right, Takaki realized. Things were peaceful; Keito was sitting on the throne and was very much adored by the people, with Yuto on one side of him and Hikaru on the other as advisors. Trust in him had grown exponentially when it was revealed that he had been the one sending out the letters that warned the citizens about the changes the old King wanted to make, and his years of watching Chinen Takashi lead the realm had given him good experience, despite how rough his rule had been.

Chinen Takashi himself, despite Ryutaro’s promises, had died shortly after the prophecy had been completed. Despite Chinen’s blames to himself, in Takaki’s opinion, it wasn’t actually the young man’s fault. The father had called his son into his bed chambers to talk, and from what Takaki understood of Ryutaro’s retelling of the situation, had urged his son to reclaim power from Keito, saying that his own forging of the will and conquest of the throne had been to give his son the best future he could. Chinen’s explanations that he did want to rule had fallen to deaf ears, and with his request denied, the King had hung himself that night. The horrifying discovery of his body had been made by Keito himself, the news of the previous King’s death coming to the people in an assembly that hadn’t been taken lightly. The citizens didn’t seem downed by the news, but it was months before there was a spring in Chinen’s step again.

Since Chinen was no longer the Prince, Keito hired him as the Master of Coin instead, and his relationship with Ryutaro was no longer so restrained. Hikaru and Yabu didn’t have to be as secretive anymore either, since Keito had already known, Yabu moving into the castle as soon as he could. The only rocky relationship after the completion of the prophecy had been Daiki and Yamada’s, all of the insecurities Inoo had mentioned about them coming to the surface in a painfully slow way, but even they were in a good place now, with Daiki also planning on soon moving into the extravagant building. Yamada had been restationed in the kitchens, since there was no longer a Prince to cook for, but he was working directly with Katori Shingo, and would most likely be given his position when the head chef decided to retire.

“Maybe it’s about us?” Takaki finally guessed.

“Oh, have you finally fallen in love with me?” Inoo asked, raising his eyebrows. “I thought that happened back when you gave that weird speech after turning down Hikaru’s offer to transport you back, about how you had more here than you did in wherever ‘Tokyo’ is, and the strange symbolism you put on cutting all of your brown hair off, when really it was just a haircut that was painfully overdue—”

“I get it, I get it.” Takaki said, waving his hands. “You really shouldn’t make fun of someone after they’ve put their heart on their sleeve in front of the entire royal court, you know.”

Inoo gave him a cheeky grin. “You know I love you.”

“I…” Takaki couldn’t help the smile on his face, heart skipping as he avoided Inoo’s eyes. “Right.”

“Are you going to react that way every time I say that?” Inoo asked, clearly amused. Then the smile dropped from his face, his mouth falling open.

“…what?” Takaki asked.

“It’s Daiki and Yamada!” Inoo shouted, jumping to his feet.

“What is?”

“The lion! The lamb! Come on!” He was extremely excited, smiling like he did whenever he came back from a day of reading about castle construction in the library, something Takaki had never really been able to understand. “Daiki is the lamb, and Yamada is the lion.”

“How?”

“Well, Daiki works in the fields, and Yamada works in the castle, which has the lion sigil. If you think about it… The day of their last fight, the one where Yamada visited, inviting Daiki to move in with him, and Daiki took it all the wrong way—remember? When the both said ‘I love you’ and nearly got it on in the living room and it was really awkward because they didn’t know we were home?”

“I remember.” Takaki answered.

“That fight happened the same day Keito held his open audience, where all the people were invited in the castle to ask any questions they had. That was the day Keito was unanimously accepted into power. That sounds like an achievement of peace if I’ve ever heard one.”

Takaki nodded slowly. What Inoo was saying made sense, and he didn’t have a better explanation.

“I guess that means it’s over then.”

“I guess it does.” Inoo’s excited pacing had finished, coming to a stop in front of Takaki’s chair. “I’m glad it happened. I mean, sure, the realm is fixed, and that’s all fine,” his complete disregard for such a momentous thing was amusing, Takaki chuckling at him, “But it also brought me you. Right in the nick of time.”

“I’m glad it happened too.” Takaki opened his arms, Inoo stepping forward to sit in his lap, smiling against Takaki’s lips as he kissed him.

  
_Failure to execute the maiden of deceit will drag the false ruler from his throne, the true king being illuminated by the bringer of light. The prince, forced from his position of power, will be the killer of his father. When the lamb falls for the lion, rest assured that peace has been achieved._


End file.
